PHOTO: Sproule Sports Focus

Ben Homer

Hamilton Olympic 2 (Cooper 33’, Goodchild 57’) drew with Lambton Jaffas 2 (Hay 2’, Davidson 45’)

Darling Street Oval

Sunday 3^rd July, 2.30pm

 Hamilton Olympic and the Lambton Jaffas played out yet another nail-biting contest in the ‘Match of the Round’ in the PlayStation® 4 National Premier League Northern NSW on Sunday. Hamilton’s run of draws continued, now with three in their last four matches, which has seen them drop further behind Edgeworth who are now three points clear at the top of the ladder.

It was the Jaffas who jumped out of the blocks early when a Rhys Tippett throw was nodded on by John Majurovski to Ben Hay who finished from the left side of the box on the angle. The defence from Hamilton was uncharacteristically soft after just two minutes.

Hamilton were soon back level though, when Tommy Spencer played a long ball over the back of the Jaffas backline on a Hamilton counter attack. Michael Williams pulled up with a severe hamstring injured and all Rhys Cooper need to do was beat Brad Swancott from the left edge of the box – which he did to make it 1-1.

Then a hammer blow right before the break. After a Lambton corner and a couple of ricocheted shots, the ball fell for Kevin Davidson on the right edge of the box. Davidson’s shot was perfect beating Danny Ireland and making it two goals in two matches for the Lambton centre back. Lambton took a 2-1 lead to the break.

On resumption, it was Hamilton who would reply for the second time in the match. Rhys Cooper turned provider on this occasion and found Kane Goodchild from the right side of the box with a cross. Goodchild made no mistake from point blank range to score his 12^th of the season and make it 2-2.

Lambton coach James Pascoe was very proud of his young side.

“They worked their socks off against a team who hasn’t been beaten in this competition yet. The young boys are starting to work out just how hard you need to work to get something out of games in this league. I’m very proud of the boys,” Pascoe said.

Pascoe added that he was pleased to take a point out of the game

“A point was nice at the end of the day. Having said that, leading 1-0 and 2-1 you always want to hang on and get the three points but I think across the course of the match they probably shaded us for chances so it was good to get the point.”

Hamilton coach Mick Bolch was disappointed with his sides defence when they ‘needed a clean sheet they didn’t keep one.’

“We are at home where we haven’t lost a match all year and if your scoring two goals at home you’ve got to be able to win those games and realistically they probably had three shots in the first half and scored two goals and we probably had eight shots and scored one. It’s not a matter of us not making chances, we just need to take them when the pressure is on. Our decision making just needs to be better in those pressure situations.”

Next weekend Olympic face Weston at Rockwell Automation Park next Sunday while the Jaffas meet Valentine at Arthur Edden Oval.

 

Adamstown Rosebud 2 (Yaxley 58’, Berlin 70’) defeated Valentine Phoenix 0

Blacksmiths Oval

Saturday 2^nd July, 3pm

The Adamstown Rosebuds continued their mid-season resurgence with a 2-0 victory over Valentine Phoenix at Blacksmiths Oval on Saturday. It was the second time this season that the Rosebuds have beaten the Phoenix by that scoreline after their 2-0 win in round three.

In a tense first half, both sides were unable to break the deadlock, as they went in locked at 0-0 at the break – as they did in round three. But as the storyline earlier in the season went, it was the Rosebuds who opened the scoring. Dayne Pawlik playing a long ball from just inside Valentine’s half on the left, finding Dan Yaxley at the back post who slid in and got a touch to roll his shot past an onrushing Beyhan Irmako.

Just 12 minutes later the Rosebuds doubled their advantage when Thom Lino played a perfect through ball, just beyond the boot of Phoenix defender Alex Burrell, allowing Chris Berlin to run through and roll a left-foot shot into the bottom right corner to make it 2-0.

The drama wasn’t done with yet though, as for the third time in two matches at Blacksmiths Oval this season, the red card was brought out. Thom Lino was given his marching orders when he received a second yellow card for kicking the ball away when Valentine were about to take a free kick.

Phoenix coach Darren Sills described his sides performance in one word ‘poor.’

“We made two mistakes at the back which gave them two goals. All credit to them, they played to their ability and they played to theirs. They got a lot of numbers behind the ball and were hard to break down. We had three clear cut chances to score and didn’t take them. We’ve been beaten twice now by a team that is behind us and it’s not good enough.”

For Adamstown’s coach Graham Law its was good to get a victory after a few weeks.

“I think we just adapted to the conditions a bit better, the pitch is dreadful, and I think we just adapted to those conditions. Based on the game it was the team that worked hardest that was most likely going to get the chances. For all that hard work it was quality that won us the game. I am really pleased; we are playing really well just now.”

Next weekend Adamstown face their bogey side Charlestown, who they haven’t beaten in five matches since their promotion. For Valentine, they travel to Lambton to play the Jaffas.

 

Broadmeadow Magic 1 (Virgili 58’(P)) defeated Weston Workers Bears 0

Magic Park

Sunday 3^rd July, 2.30pm

Broadmeadow Magic went within one win of the top two with a hard-fought win against the Bears at Magic Park. For the second time this season the Bears gave Broadmeadow a real test, but a James Virgili penalty was enough for the home side to claim all three points.

The major concern after the match was for Weston defender Zac Sneddon who went to hospital with a fractured skull after a sickening collision with Magic’s Shane Paul inside the opening five minutes.

After a tight first half, both sides went into the half-time interval locked a 0-0. The result seemed to be heading for that similar to the scoreline back in round three at Weston.

But, when Broadmeadow needed a goal, it was their talisman James Virgili who stepped up. Virigli cut down the right side of the box and was fouled. There was some deliberation between the on-field referee and his assistant as to whether the foul was inside or outside the box, but the penalty was given. Virgili stepped up to send Benn Kelly the wrong way and give the home side the lead.

A late foul from Michael Kantarovski saw the Magic midfielder given a red card for his second bookable offence meaning he will miss Magic’s big clash next week with league leaders Edgeworth. Weston created chances in the second half and were unlucky not to have a penalty late in the match when Jordon Jackson was fouled in the box.

Weston coach Trevor Morris said Seddon’s injury was a ‘shame’ because ‘he has been our most consistent player all year.’

Morris also praised his side’s defence.

“In all honesty, they had two chances all game and against strike power like that I thought we did really well. And to see a couple of things at the end of the game it makes your blood boil. How we never scored I’ll never know. We hit the post and had a couple of good chances in both halves and didn’t take them. And to have the penalty call in the last couple of minutes [go against us] and to have their players say that we were robbed makes it hurt even more.”

Next weekend Broadmeadow travel to Edgeworth to face the Eagles and Weston travel home to play Hamilton in round 13.

 

Maitland Magpies 2 (M.Thompson 18’(P), 78’) defeated Charlestown City Blues 0

Lisle Carr Oval

Sunday 3^rd July, 2.30pm

After five matches without a victory, Maitland are back in the winners’ circle and firmly entrenched in the top four after a confidence boosting 2-0 victory over Charlestown away from home. For the Blues, their slide down the ladder continued, as they lost their fifth straight match.

The scoring began in the 18^th minute when Matt Comerford was fouled in the box by Daniel Laiman resulting in a penalty to the visitors. Matt Thompson took over from Maitland’s captain Blake Thompson from the spot and calmly put his shot in the bottom right corner – just outside the grasp of Charlestown keeper Nathan Archbold.

Neither side was able to find a goal before the break, and the match wasn’t put to bed until the 78^th minutes when Ryan Clarke played a ball to Matt Thompson from the left. Thompson on the edge of the box hit a well-timed shot into the right corner to seal to points for the Magpies. Maitland coach Steve Piggott was pleased that the changes he made to his side allowed for a change in fortune.

“A couple of changes to the squad definitely worked, while those players who were left out were disappointed, we got three points today which was the whole exercise of the movement, change it up and spark some life into the campaign.”

Piggott was very impressed with his sides speed in the front third – which has been lacking this season for the Magpies.

“I just think our speed in the front third was the difference today. We created plenty of one v ones and got forward very quick. Ryan Clarke was damaging and him and Matt Comerford supported Jye McKellar who had one of his best games of the season.”

The win put consolidates Maitland’s spot in the top four, while Charlestown stay in 6^th after the defeat. Next week the Magpies meet the Jets Youth at home while Charlestown will travel to Adamstown to take on the Rosebuds.

 

Edgeworth Eagles 4 (Moriyasu 9’(P), 87’(P), 90+1’, Gardner 80’) defeated Newcastle Jets Youth 2 (Waller 36’, Joice 56’)

Jack McLaughlan Oval

Sunday 3^rd July, 2.45pm

Edgeworth coach Damian Zane was gushing in praise of his young midfielder Aden Gardner who ‘became an out and out first grader this week’ after he scored the equaliser for the Eagles in an enthralling clash with the Jets Youth on Sunday. The Eagles were struggling – down 2-1 with ten minutes to play when Gardner stepped up.

With all the talk about Keigo Moriyasu’s stunning free kick late in the match Zane heaped praise on Gardner.

“Everyone will talk about Keigo but his goal just changed the whole context of the match.”

Both sides came out sluggishly in the first half with the Eagles heavily fatigued after three matches in a week, while many of the Jets Youth players have been training with the first team.

Its was the Eagles who opened the afternoon’s scoring when Keanu Moore was fouled by Jets keeper Pierce Clark on route to goal. Keigo Moriyasu struck his penalty into the bottom left corner just outside the outstretched hands of Clark.

The Jets replied when Finn Paris ran down the right and played a brilliant cross onto the head of Tom Waller at the back post, who’s header was too powerful for Jim Fogarty.

With the scoreboard locked at 1-1 at the break, the Jets took the lead in the second. Cameron Joice going one-on-one with Jim Fogarty following a fast break from the Jets through Krisitan Brymora who played a pinpoint through ball to Joice. He made no mistake with his shot from outside the box.

But, just as an upset seemed to be on the cards for the Jets, until Brymora’s scuffed clearance fell to Gardner on the right side of the box following an Edgeworth corner. In the biggest moment of his First Grade career to date his shot flew across Pierce Clark and into the bottom left corner to send the nervous Edgeworth faithful into raptures.

Things soon got better for the Eagles, when Moriyasu raced down the right edge of the box and was fouled by Caio De Godoy. Moriyasu stepped up once again – a carbon copy of the last penalty – putting it into the bottom left corner. Clark getting fingertips to it but was unable to keep it out.

If the Jets thought the scoreline couldn’t get any worse, a free kick from the left side of the field, on the edge of the eighteen-yard box was given away. Moriyasu stepped up and cracked a free kick which dipped and swerved left and then right totally bemusing Clark to make it 4-2.

Jets coach Clayton Zane was gutted that his side ‘handed the game to the Eagles.’

“They are just an experienced team and we made a couple of sloppy decisions when we were tired at the back end. It was just a game that got away from us, with just tired boys who couldn’t sustain for the second 45 minutes.”

However, Zane was very proud that his young side took the game to Edgeworth.

“We haven’t had matches where we have been in the lead against one of the top teams and it was a new experience for them. Everything was positive at the end of the game, the big message for us is that we just need to make sure we don’t start matches as slow as we did today.”

Next week Edgeworth meet Broadmeadow in the “Match of the Round” at Jack McLaughlan Oval while the Jets take on Maitland at Cooks Square Park.