Photo: Sproule Sports Focus

By Ben Homer

Match of the Round

Hamilton Olympic 3 (Mooney 38’, Bird 45+1’, Bertos 70’) defeated Broadmeadow Magic 1 (Virgili 7’)

Darling Street Oval

Sunday, May 14, 2.30pm

Hamilton Olympic continued their good run of form against Broadmeadow Magic in the PlayStation® 4 National Premier League, Northern NSW Match of the Round, with a 3-1 victory in front of a big crowd at Darling Street Oval on Sunday.

Fresh from knocking off last seasons minor and major premiers in Round 5, Hamilton came out of the blocks slowly in front of the home crowd.

James Virgili found his way inside Hamilton’s defence early on, as he kept Hamilton’s Captain Kyle Hodges at bay to slide his shot under Danny Ireland and score Magic’s first goal against their rivals since 2014.

But, that was as good as it got for Broadmeadow. Hamilton gradually clawed their way back into the contest, when Tommy Spencer played a perfectly timed through ball to Kane Goodchild, who chipped Magic’s keeper Nick Hartnett with Luke Virgili only to clear it off the line but only into the path of Simon Mooney, who equalised for the home side.

Then just when everyone thought the game would go into half-time at 1-1, Tommy Spencer cut down the right side of Magic’s box. His left foot shot, was sliced away by Jon Griffiths into the path of Daniel Bird at the back post, who finished with an exquisite right foot volley.

In the second half, the match was more of an arm wrestle, until Simon Mooney found Rhys Cooper with a well weighted chip of Broadmeadow’s backline with the ball trickling into the net for what many thought was Olympic’s third.

However, referee Andrew Digby had already blown his whistle for a penalty after Hartnett knocked over Cooper after his chip, then it was left to Leo Bertos, who finished from the spot to give Hamilton a 3-1 lead.

Broadmeadow had much of the ball at the back end of the match, but couldn’t find another goal, as Olympic extended their unbeaten run against Magic to 6 matches.

Mick Bolch was impressed with his side’s second big victory in as many weeks.

“I’m over the moon with that performance. It’s the first time we have been behind all year and they are a good front running team, when they get the lead they grow a leg. I thought after the initial 25 minutes, we got a foot in the game, and I thought the second half we had the better of the chances,” Bolch said.

Bolch was glowing in praise of his centre back and Captain Kyle Hodges.

“To me, he is the best centre back in the competition. Week in and week out, whether he is marking Daniel McBreen or Peter Haynes, they are in for a battle with him.”

Broadmeadow co-coach Bobby Naumov believed his side just didn’t take their chances.

“At the end of the day, I don’t think both sides played that great to be honest. Both sides had some chances, and they took theirs and we didn’t take ours. In those tight games, they are the little things which make the difference. It just came down to who was going to take their chances and who was going to make a mistake.”

Next weekend Hamilton meet a Jets Youth side who will be buoyed by their first win of the season this week while Broadmeadow return home to meet Valentine next Sunday.

 

Edgeworth Eagles 4 (Moore 17’, Taylor 33’, McBreen 46’, Moriyasu 59’) defeated Valentine Phoenix 0

Cahill Oval

Saturday,May 14, 3pm

Normal transmission for the Edgeworth Eagles resumed in Round 6, as they put the sword to a Valentine Phoenix side who were buoyed by a win over Weston in Round 5.

Keanu Moore got things started for the visitors when he played a perfect one-two with superstar signing Keigo Moriyasu. Moore cut inside the left edge of the box and smashed his shot home over Beyhan Irmako in the Valentine goal to make it 1-0 in the 17^th minute.

Brody Taylor extended the visitors lead after 33 minutes when he a headed in a free kick at the back post from Keigo Moriyasu.

Just a minute into the second half, Taylor was at it again finding Bren Hammel with a pinpoint ball from the middle of the field out to the right, where Hammel cut into the 18-year box and hit a shot which deflected off Valentine Captain Scott McGinley and into the path of Taylor. Taylor’s shot thumped into the underside of the crossbar, before Daniel McBreen headed home into an empty net for his first goal in the PlayStation 4 NPL.

A ‘Keigo Moriyasu special’ finished off the rout in the 59^th minute, when he struck a shot from outside the box on the right and found the top left corner. The goal completing an outstanding performance from Edgeworth’s dynamo, with 2 assists and a goal.

Valentine coach Darren Sills was proud of his sides effort against last season’s premiers.

“I thought we defended quite well in patches. Their first goal was brilliant, but the second goal we should have decided better.”

“I said to the boys before the match, whatever we can get out of this game, if we can’t get anything, we can at least learn. What type of player we are up against? Where their runs are? What they do? How they feed off each other’s enthusiasm? It was very positive in the sheds after the game, the boys were still disappointed, but we learnt a lot out there today.”

Edgeworth coach Damien Zane was pleased that his side bounced back from their loss to Hamilton with a win.

“The general performance was pretty good. We knew that if we let them get a goal, it would have really driven them on. The fact that we got the first and the second, really deflated them I think.”

Edgeworth meet Charlestown at home next weekend while Valentine face Broadmeadow Magic at Magic Park next Sunday.

 

Maitland Magpies 0 Lambton Jaffas 0

Cooks Square Park

Sunday, May 14, 2.30pm

Maitland and Lambton played out a scoreless draw at the notoriously windy Cooks Square Park on Sunday afternoon.

In an even contest, Lambton controlled possession for a majority of the match and had the better of the chances against a Maitland side who were slightly fatigued after a heavy schedule where they had to play 3 matches in the last 8 days.

Lambton’s best chance came through skipper John Majurovski, when his shot hit the crossbar while Maitland’s Jye McKeller also hit the bar for Maitland from outside the 18-yard box.

Lambton’s coach James Pascoe was pleased with the effort his side showed in a tough away trip.

“I couldn’t fault the performance, everything we set out to do we did. Just the common denominator at the minute is just taking chances. We didn’t create mountains of chances, but we had three or four really, really good ones, that on another day you could do better with.”

“Michael Williams was terrific for us today and Jobe Wheelhouse was head and shoulders above everyone else. Pete McPherson was really good for us as well.”

Maitland’s coach Steve Piggott, was equally pleased to claim a valuable point after a week of tough matches.

“We were a little bit down on energy today. The midweek match against the Jets took it out of us and we were a little bit flat today, but we got there in the end and it was a valuable point.”

Piggott said the windy conditions at Cooks Square Park played a difficult factor in the game as well.

“The wind was up for most of the game today and it makes it difficult to play at times. But both sides have got to play to those conditions. It’s not called Windy Hill for nothing! Its not much of an advantage when you are trying to play football but you just have to deal with it on the the day.”

Next weekend Maitland travel to Weston for the Coalfields Derby while Lambton meet Adamstown at home.

 

Charlestown City Blues 1 (Smith 65’) Weston Bears 0

Lisle Carr Oval

Sunday, May 14, 2.30pm

Charlestown continued their undefeated start to the year with a gritty and determined 1-0 victory over Weston at Lisle Carr Oval on Sunday.

With three of their regular first graders out of the side; Daniel Laiman, Sam Hudson and captain Ben Hughes. Charlestown had to dig deep against a Weston outfit looking for their first win of 2016.

It was Scott Smith who scored his fourth goal of the season midway through the second half which broke the deadlock. Jarryd Johnson took a free kick midway into Weston’s half on the left and curled it with his right foot towards the back post where an oncoming Smith flicked over Weston keeper, Benn Kelly, with the back of his head.

For Weston they had some good chances throughout the match, but were unable to find the back of the net. Outstanding defence from Charlestown holding the visitors at bay.

Weston’s coach Trevor Morris was disappointed with his side’s finishing, as they struggled in front of goal.

“We just didn’t control the ball well enough. Our effort and commitment was there. When we had our chances, there was a lack of composure. We lost Zac Sneddon early in the game with a hamstring injury and halfway through the second half we lost Rob Macbeth with an ankle injury, so they had an effect too.”

Morris also praised Charlestown’s defence.

“There desperation in defence was great. They blocked shots inside the six-yard box, but we just didn’t execute.”

Charlestown coach Shane Pryce was happy to get the three points in a tough match.

“It was a tough, gritty one today. When you play Weston, they will compete right to the end, they’re physical and have a never give up attitude. I was pleased that we matched them in that area and it was a tight game that could have gone either way.”

Reflecting on their 2015 season in comparison to this season, Pryce was impressed with the change in attitude.

“We have a lot of spirit and a lot of heart this season, that was missing last year. We had no team spirit, we had no fight and we lacked a bit of culture. The players have turned that around, it’s good to see the players getting a reward as far as points and wins go. And as the coach, I couldn’t be happier.’

Next weekend Charlestown are away against Edgeworth, while Weston play Maitland in the Coalfields Derby at home on Sunday.

 

Newcastle Jets Youth 3 (Brymora 33’, 64’, 80’) Adamstown Rosebud 0

Adamstown Oval

Sunday, May 14, 2.30pm

Krisitan Brymora starred for the Newcastle Jets Youth side as they got their first win for the 2016 season against a depleted Adamstown side on Sunday at Adamstown Oval.

Brymora grabbed a hat-trick for the Jets, as they moved off the bottom of the ladder. Brymora’s first goal came from a well-positioned cross from Tyson Jackson on the right. Brymora headed it in at the near post past Rosebud’s keeper Jake Hamilton for the lead.

His second came midway through the second half, when he turned on the edge of the 18-yard box and got a shot away with his right boot, which dipped and curled inside the far right post.

His hat-trick was completed on the 80-minute mark, where Brymora chested and controlled a ball inside the box before turning and scrambling it home with his right foot from the left edge of the six-yard box under the onrushing Jake Hamilton.

Jets Youth coach Clayton Zane was happy with a confidence boosting win for his young side.

“We’ve been threatening to pick points up, we just haven’t been able to cross the finish line in some of the games. We’ve just let ourselves down with small spells. Its good for the boys’ confidence to get the first win.”

“We’ve probably put a bit of undue pressure on ourselves by just not playing for the full 90 minutes, but we got there today and we looked pretty composed defensively.”

On Brymora, Zane was full of praise for his young striker.

“He’s very direct and quite quick. He’s probably come on a bit quicker than I thought he would and it’s great to see him score three goals. He is leading the line very well and his work rate has been great. I’m happy for him after that performance.”

Next weekend the Jets travel to Hamilton to meet the unbeaten Olympic while it doesn’t get any easier for Adamstown as they meet Edgeworth.