Match of the Round
Adamstown Rosebud JFC 2-5 Charlestown Azzurri
Emily Diaz scored five goals for the second week in a row for Charlestown as Azzurri maintained their perfect start to the season with a 5-2 victory over Adamstown Rosebud.
Charlestown arrived at the Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility on Saturday night with a 100 per cent record after four rounds, sitting two points clear at the top of the table.
They faced an Adamstown side that had endured a mixed start to the campaign and were without in-form defender Charli O’Connor (unavailable), captain Jenna Doyle who suffered a wrist injury at training on Wednesday night and coach Ryan Campbell who was away with the Newcastle Jets A-League Women’s team.
Charlestown were also down on troops, with Alyssa Togo still missing thanks to the knee injury she suffered in round one, while Katie Oliveira, Nikki Jones and Lori Depczynski were all unavailable.
But Azzurri were made to do it the hard way as they found themselves 2-0 down five minutes before half-time thanks to Courtney Anderson’s double.
Charlestown gave themselves a lifeline three minutes later when Diaz pulled one back, steering the ball home from an Evie Horgan free kick.
The visitors were level on the hour mark when Lilly-Jane Babic was played in on goal before unselfishly squaring for Diaz to roll the ball beyond Lily-Rose Dunbar.
Diaz did it all herself to complete her hat-trick in the 76th minute, latching onto a long ball just inside the Adamstown half before powering towards goal and finishing into the bottom corner.
Azzurri all but sealed the result five minutes later when Indianna Asimus found Diaz with a fantastic through pass, with Diaz rounding the oncoming Dunbar to finish calmly.
Diaz scored her fifth for the night, and 16th of the season, just before full-time when she headed home a Jessica Dominello corner.
Charlestown will return to action on Tuesday night when they host Warners Bay in the quarter-finals of the Women’s League Cup at Allen Davis Field.
Adamstown will face Newcastle Olympic at Darling Street Oval on Monday.
Maitland FC 5-2 Broadmeadow Magic
Chelsea Greguric scored four goals as Maitland made a statement to the rest of the NPLW NNSW competition after downing Broadmeadow Magic 5-2 on Sunday.
Broadmeadow got off to the perfect start at Cooks Square Park when they took the lead after just eight minutes when Adriana Konjarski was left completely unmarked in the Maitland penalty area.
The reigning NPLW NNSW Player of the Year and Golden Boot winner had time to control a perfect Chelsea Lucas cross before calmly finishing past Imogene Tomasone, who had returned in goal for Maitland following a thumb injury.
Maitland could have been forgiven for thinking that it was going to be the same old story against one of the competition heavyweights but the Magpies bounced back shortly after, with Sophie Jones splitting the Broadmeadow defence with a perfect through pass.
Greguric showed great awareness to take her chance first time with on-rushing Magic goalkeeper Ruby Jones bearing down on her, with the striker rolling the ball past the Broadmeadow No.1 to level the score.
But Maitland were only able to remain level for three minutes as Broadmeadow regained the lead through Kiarra Lewis.
The former Magpies player, who was back from a one-match suspension, pounced on a loose pass in the middle of the park before unleashing a brilliant left foot strike into the top corner which Tomasone could do little about.
But the Magpies showed great resilience to drag themselves level again 10 minutes before half-time. After good work down the right from Indianna Auddino and Amy Parkinson, Madeline Howard turned sharply inside Kalista Hunter, with the Magic defender fouling Howard to concede a penalty.
Greguric stepped up confidently to fire the ball low past Jones.
But the young striker was far from done and gave Maitland the lead for the first time seven minutes into the second half.
Greguric teased Magic defender Jannali Hunter into a rash challenge in the penalty area, with Greguric picking herself up to slot the penalty past substitute goalkeeper Stella Morgan and complete her hat-trick.
Greguric saved her best for last just three minutes later. She showed quick feet to turn past Kalista Hunter and Gemma Harrison before finishing brilliantly to give the Magpies a two-goal lead.
Maitland were tearing Broadmeadow apart and substitute Mercedes McNabb thought she had Maitland’s fifth five minutes later, only for her effort to be ruled out for offside.
But the Magpies were able to seal the result with 15 minutes to play when Morgan failed to hold Ainsley Childs’ free kick, with Sophia Laurie rewarded for her fine performance in the middle of the park as she tapped home Maitland’s fifth.
A disappointing afternoon went from bad to worse for Broadmeadow when Lucy Jerram went down heavily under a challenge from Jones, forcing her from the field.
It got even worse for Magic after full-time when Konjarski was sent off following an altercation with Maitland defender Madison Gallegos.
It was Broadmeadow’s third dismissal in as many matches, following Lewis’ send off against Adamstown and Kirstyn Antoni’s red card against Newcastle Olympic.
The Magpies climbed into the top four with the victory, while Magic have slipped to five points behind leaders Charlestown.
Maitland will return to action with their Women’s League Cup quarter-final match against Mid Coast FC in Taree on Friday.
Broadmeadow will take on New Lambton at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility next Wednesday.
Mid Coast FC 8-1 Warners Bay FC
Mid Coast scored their first win of the season with an 8-1 thrashing of Warners Bay on Sunday.
Jonnie-Bree Gore and Sophie Gallagher scored doubles at Taree Zone Field, with Zora Boskovski, Marissa Masterantonio, Emma Stanbury and Claire Downie all finding themselves on the scoresheet.
Callie Thomas pulled a goal back for the Panthers in stoppage time.
Warners Bay remain rooted to the foot of the table without a point in the opening five rounds, while Mid Coast climbed above New Lambton into sixth.
Middies are back in action for their Women’s League Cup quarter-final at home to Maitland on Friday, while Warners Bay face Charlestown tomorrow night.
New Lambton FC v Newcastle Olympic
Match Postponed
The match between New Lambton and Newcastle Olympic was postponed to the competition's spare weekend in June.
With the Alder Park pitch deemed unplayable on Tuesday due to issues following ryegrass seeding, the club worked in conjunction with Newcastle City Council and NNSWF to find an alternate venue.
Given the lack of suitable grounds in the area available on Sunday to host five matches including first grade and reserve grade NPLW NNSW fixtures and under-13s, 15s and 17s PYL Girls fixtures, NNSWF made the decision to postpone the matches until the spare weekend to keep the entire matchday together.
The lack of available venues coupled with not increasing the burden on club volunteers by having to split the matchday into two, or potentially three, midweek match days, were key factors in the decision.
NNSWF General Manager Football Operations Liam Bentley said while he was disappointed the matchday had to be postponed, it had come down to a matter of logistics with the effect on club volunteers taken into account.
“Obviously we’re disappointed because our first preference is always for football to be played wherever it is safe to do so,” Bentley said.
“And we acknowledge that NPL Men’s NNSW matches had been scheduled at Alder Park for Saturday as well. Yet those matches have been transferred, not postponed.
“This is simply because we were able to secure a venue that could host two fixtures on Saturday, as NPL Men’s NNSW senior matchdays only have first grade and reserve grade fixtures. Whereas finding a host venue and club volunteers for a five-game match day at such short notice was significantly more challenging.
“We would much prefer these matches be played this weekend but this is why we have spare weekends, to solve issues like this when circumstances which are out of anyone’s control arise.
“But I understand the frustration of clubs and players and thank them for their understanding.”
The match will be played at Alder Park on Sunday 11 June.
