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BEN HOMER 

Match of the Round

Edgeworth Eagles 1 (McBreen 14’) defeated Valentine Phoenix 0 at Jack McLaughlan Oval.

Edgeworth made it three wins in a row in the PlayStation®4 NPL Northern NSW on Sunday, as they took down a plucky Phoenix outfit 1-0 at Jack McLaughlan Oval.

Daniel McBreen’s first goal of the season was enough for the Eagles, as they held out a late Valentine charge.

The Eagles controlled much of the opening part of the match, with crisp ball movement down their attacking end of the ground. Valentine were forced to defend and opened up in the 14^th minute.

Ayden Brice angled a diagonal pass from right back to Keigo Moriyasu, in the centre, who flicked the ball over the top of Valentine centre-back Reece Pettit, to McBreen, who chested down, controlled and volleyed under Phoenix keeper Scott Carter to open the scoring.

After conceding, Valentine got themselves into the contest, as they controlled the ball in the front third but just couldn’t find the right pass to crack the Edgeworth defence led by Josh Evans and Pat Wheeler.

On the counter-attack, Edgeworth went close as Daniel McBreen fired a powerful shot which Carter had to parry over the bar and Will Bower struck a venomous shot which was well saved by the Valentine custodian.

The Eagles took a 1-0 lead to the sheds and when they resumed both sides worked hard without creating too many opportunities.

In a second half blow, Alex Tserepas was forced from the field for the Phoenix with a leg injury.

For the Eagles Brody Taylor, Kieran Sanders and Dylan Holz all came off the bench in the second half, as Damian Zane looked to reduce their workload with an important Westfield FFA Cup fixture looming against Hamilton on Wednesday night.

Holz appeared lucky to stay on the park after a late incident involving Alec Faulkner where he appeared to step on Valentine’s American import, as tensions flared late in the contest.

The Phoenix had a couple of late chances– the first was off the head of Zac Sneddon following a set piece. Jalon Brown – who was kept quiet for much of the match – also fizzed a shot wide of Nate Cavaliere’s goal in the dying moments, but, Valentine couldn’t find the winner as they fell just short.

Speaking post-game to BarTV Sports’ Chris Turner, Edgeworth coach Damian Zane said while he was happy with the performance, they still had plenty to improve.

“We still haven’t hit the heights that we want to. I think that’s a good sign for us and maybe a danger sign for the rest of the competition.”

Zane said it has been their ability to call on the whole squad, which was important for their recent success.

“From day one I have made it about a squad. We don’t rely on one player. Macca’s [Daniel McBreen] out we win, no matter who is out we win, and that is no disrespect to Macca. Obviously, he is a quality player, but, that is the way I believe a team should work.”

Valentine coach Darren Sills felt that while his side “improved out of sight” in comparison to 4-0, and 4-2 losses to the Eagles last year, it wasn’t a great afternoon for the Phoenix.

“We pushed a few numbers up at the end, and had a couple of chances, but, that wasn’t one of our better performances,” Sills said.

Sills was glowing in praise for Edgeworth centre-back Josh Evans, saying he felt he was the best player on the pitch.

“He was sensational. He did a great job on Jalon [Brown]. He had no chances, I think he had one shot from 30 out, but, it was wide of the posts. Other than that, he’s ticked the box and [Josh] did a really good job.”

Valentine and Edgeworth will both need to recover quickly before the Westfield FFA Cup on Wednesday night. Valentine are on the road against Zone League side the Newcastle Suns, while Edgeworth also face a trip to Hamilton to face Olympic.

 

Broadmeadow Magic 5 (Haynes 12’, Bradbury 24’, 51’, Virgili 66’, 80’) defeated Jets Youth 1 (Brymora (p) 30’) at Magic Park.

Broadmeadow Magic ended a five-match winless run in the sole match on Saturday in the PS4 NPL Northern NSW.

A brace from James Virgili and Kale Bradbury led the side to the much-needed victory after a demoralising 7-0 defeat at the hands of Maitland last weekend.

After scoring just once – from the penalty spot – in the previous seven hours of football, Broadmeadow took just 12 minutes to open the scoring.

Josh Piddington’s header at the back post from Luke Virgili’s corner stung the palms of Jets Youth keeper Pierce Clark who parried the ball straight up straight up. It fell to Peter Haynes at the near post who headed home to make 1-0.

Piddington was in in thick of the action soon after, this time he would have been seeing stars after Cameron Joice’s high boot collected him square in the forehead.

Blood streamed everywhere as Piddington left the park momentarily to receive attention, and he returned with a bandage around his head.

James Virgili’s pace made the Jets pay for some sloppy defending in the 24^th minute, as he burnt them down the right edge. Virgili drew in the keeper and crossed infield for Bradbury who tapped home with no one around him.

Giving away penalties has been a common theme for Broadmeadow of late, and the trend continued against the Jets Youth.

After some crisp passing from the young Jets, Leroy Jennings was clipped in the box by Jeremy Wilson and referee Cameron Burns pointed to the spot.

Kristian Brymora stepped up and converted to half the deficit for the Jets.

The score remained 2-1 at the break, but on resumption, Broadmeadow regained their two-goal advantage just six minutes in.

Josh Piddington played a long ball through the middle of the park to Kale Bradbury whose first-time shot was saved by Clark. The save deflected to Bradbury who slotted home neatly past two defenders to make it 3-1.

In the 66^th minute, the Jets gave up possession coming out of their own half and Shane Paul found space down the left, crossed into James Virgili, who finished under Clark for a 4-1 lead.

Virgili put the cherry on top of a great afternoon for Magic when Peter Haynes found him wide down the right edge. Virgili cut inside and hit a low shot across Clark to make it 5-1 and ensure the three points were staying at Magic Park.

Jets Youth Assistant Coach Paul Gomez felt his side struggled after conceding early on.

“I think going a goal down didn’t help us that early in the game. It put us on the back foot a little bit and then we had to go and chase it.

“Then, if you don’t execute the chances you have in the front third the risk is you are going to get countered with the speed they have in the front third with James Virgili and Kale Bradbury.”

Gomez felt “a culmination of things” were the cause of the Jets conceding eight goals in the last two matches, including being unable to keep a consistent backline.

The Jets are back in action next Saturday against the Lambton Jaffas, while Broadmeadow face Northern League One side New Lambton in the Westfield FFA Cup on Wednesday before meeting their rivals Hamilton Olympic in the local derby next Sunday.

 

Lambton Jaffas 2 (Greentree 19’, Tippett 57’) defeated Maitland Magpies 1 (Clarke 45’) at Cooks Square Park.

Dain Greentree turned from hero to villain for the Lambton Jaffas, as he scored the opening goal and set up the second, before being sent off in the top of the table clash at Cooks Square Park.

It was a back to the wall effort from the Jaffas who lost Jobe Wheelhouse to a stomach bug before kick-off, along with Michael Kantarovski (groin) and Ridge Marpu (hamstring) during the match.

Dain Greentree scored the opener after Ridge Mapu darted down the right edge and crossed to Greentree who headed home at the back post from the top of the six-yard box.

Right on the stroke of halftime, Maitland got themselves back level after a counter-attacking move which saw Ryan Clarke finish nicely with the outside of his boot to make it 1-1 at the break.

After half-time Lambton got themselves back into the lead after Greentree got in behind Maitland down the left and crossed to Rhys Tippett who scored his first on the season.

But, for all the good work Dain Greentree had done, a second bookable offence three minutes later saw him given his marching orders and the Jaffas were forced to play out the final half-hour a man down.

Ben Martin had the best of the late chances for Maitland but couldn’t keep his finish down, as Lambton ground out a 2-1 victory.

Lambton coach James Pascoe was grateful to get out of the match with three points.

“After the way Maitland had performed the week before against Magic and given the circumstances for ourselves – Jobe Wheelhouse pulled out an hour before kick-off with a virus which caused a reshuffle – I was really happy.”

“We had to sit deep, we had to work hard physically and then it makes it hard to break forward from those types of positions, but, we saw it out well,” Pascoe said.

Maitland coach Phil Dando said post-match that his side “just weren’t at the races” in the opening half.

“After playing so well last week, it a was a bit down to earth today. Credit to Lambton, they came at us and they worked hard and they closed us down quickly and we found it difficult to cope, and we were sloppy in defence,” Dando said.

“We equalised just before halftime and I thought we dodged a bullet a wee bit and hopefully we could go on [in the second half]. We pushed forward and created some good chances and we missed one really good chance and that did for us in the end.”

Maitland will need to bounce back quickly as they face Weston in the Westfield FFA Cup on Wednesday. Lambton meet Adamstown in the same competition on Wednesday night.

 

Weston Workers Bears 3 (Thomas 31’, J.Thompson 67’, Smith 90+2’) defeated Charlestown City Blues 0 at Rockwell Automation Park.

It may have taken until round ten, but, finally, Weston have won their first match in the PS4 NPL Northern NSW for 2017.

Zac Thomas, James Thompson and Adam Smith all scored for the Bears in front of a strong home crowd at Rockwell Automation Park.

On his starting debut for the Bears, Zac Thomas opened the scoring, rising above the Charlestown defence after a Weston corner to head home and make it 1-0.

Weston took the lead into the sheds and went on with the match in the second half. In the 67^th minute, they doubled their lead when Jake Barner crossed in from the left edge. James Thompson slotted home to score his second of the season.

Adam Smith put the icing on the cake in stoppage time after Jamie Byrnes broke down the left edge crossed into Cooper Buswell who teed up Smith. Smith’s initial shot was well saved, but he tapped in the rebound to make it 3-0.

Bears coach Steve Piggott said he was happy for his young side.

“They’ve worked hard for five or six weeks and they deserve it. They really gave it their all today and stuck to their game plan and got the rewards. The players played 90 minutes, that was the difference.”

But, while the victory pleased Weston’s coach, it was the clean sheet that was most impressive.

“That’s the most pleasing thing. We contested every ball and, it was a bit slippery and a bit wet, but, I thought, in the end, we got what we deserved the intensity was great and they stuck to the game plan.

“For a young group, let’s hope that win spurs them on.”

Weston will be looking for it to spur them on as they face Maitland in the Westfield FFA Cup on Wednesday night.

 

Hamilton Olympic 1 (Brown 86’) drew with Lake Macquarie City Roosters 1 (Green 17’) at Darling Street Oval.

Hamilton and Lake Macquarie finished all locked up at 1-1 at Darling Street, as both recorded their second draw in successive weeks.

Lightning struck twice for Hamilton defender Grant Brown who saved Olympics’ blushes for the second week in a row with an 86^th-minute wonder-goal.

Under an overcast sky, it was the Roosters who opened the scoring and led for much of the afternoon. Sam Walker darted down the right edge and squared back a pass to Blake Green who slotted from next to the penalty spot into the bottom left corner.

Lakes held the lead at the break and well into the second half. They defended stoutly as Olympic threw everything at them.

Finally, the dam wall burst though – and it took an incredible strike to do so. Following an Olympic free kick from 45 degrees on the left edge, the ball fell to Marcus Duncan who crossed towards the back post where Kane Goodchild headed back to Brown. From about 30 metres out, Brown unleashed a bullet of a strike which nestled in the top left corner and ensured Olympic shared the points for the second week in a row.

Frustrated Olympic coach Mick Bolch saw the afternoon as a case of “missed chance after missed chance after missed chance.”

“We just couldn’t put the ball in the back of the net. The first 15 minutes Goody had two one-on-ones. One hit the crossbar. The first time they went into the box in the 20^th minute from a turnover from us they scored.

“We controlled the game, did well, played well, the shape was good, defended well, knocked the ball around well, created plenty, we just couldn’t put the ball in the back of the net,” Bolch said.

In contrast, Roosters coach Anthony Richards though his side put in a “super effort.”

“Tommy Smart was outstanding, Matt Toohey was great. I thought it was a really good performance from our guys, to be honest.”

However, Richards was a little disappointed with giving up three points late in the match for the second week running.

“Yes, it is [disappointing]. If you get yourself in a winning position, where you can do well, but, I’m certainly not disappointed with the effort,” Richards said.

“We had guys that probably shouldn’t have started today with injuries and for how they have gutsed that out, my team, I’m astounded with how they have gone, to be honest. They have blown me away. I’m super proud.”

Lake Macquarie will host Cardiff on Wednesday night in the FFA Cup, while Hamilton faces off in a heavyweight duel against Edgeworth.