Jack Antcliff
Charlestown Azzurri 5-1 Adamstown Rosebud JFC
Carolina Cacic has been cleared of any serious injury after an on-field collision in Charlestown Azzurri’s 5-2 win over Adamstown Rosebud on Saturday.
Cacic suffered soft tissue bruising in her neck and back, along with bruising in the kidney and liver as a result of the collision, which saw the match at Allen Davis Field suspended for 40 minutes.
Charlestown coach Niko Papaspiropoulos praised his side for their efforts in responding after the incident with the game at that stage level at 2-2.
“I said to the girls the very least you can do is win for your teammate. Go out there and get the job done,” Papaspiropoulos said.
Summer Taube and Lori Depczynski both found the scoresheet for the home side in the first half, while Jenna Doyle and Mia Bales kept Rosebud in the contest.
“We created plenty of chances. We played well and we were definitely the dominant side and played the better football,” Papaspiropoulos said.
“We could have put them away in the first half but we were wasteful.”
Jess Gentle was the conductor in the second half as she pressed the Adamstown defence into error. The electric forward scored three goals when play resumed.
“The key difference between the first half and the second half after the injury stoppage was just our mentality,” Papaspiropoulos said.
“It helps when you have your players back. Jenna [Kingsley] unfortunately did miss the game. [But] having Jess and Courtney back helps and gives that little extra edge to our attack.”
Azzurri play Maitland next weekend, with the Magpies yet to concede a goal this season.
“Our mentality has been key so far in our preparation and in our games. We just fine tune a few little things for ourselves and focus on what we do well and I am sure we will get a result,” Papaspiropoulos said.
Adamstown struggled to match Azzurri’s intensity in the second half as the hosts ran away with the match.
Rosebud play Mid Coast at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility next weekend before a trip to Maitland to play the Magpies.
The matches between Broadmeadow Magic and Maitland FC, Mid Coast FC and New Lambton FC and the match of the round between Newcastle Olympic and Warners Bay FC were postponed due to wet weather.
