NPL NNSW Round 3 Review
Round Sponsor: Red Funnel
Match of the Round
Weston Workers 2-0 Adamstown Rosebud
Weston climbed into the top five thanks to a brave 2-0 victory over Adamstown Rosebud in the Match of the Round on Saturday night.
The Bears had to do it the hard way for 75 minutes at Rockwell Automation Park after they were reduced to 10 men, with Liam Wilson shown a straight red card for a clumsy studs up challenge just inside his own half.
Leo Bertos’ side dug in though and were rewarded when they took the lead midway through the second half.
Adamstown had almost turned the ball into their own goal only for goalkeeper Tom Jenkins to produce a desperate stop. But from the resulting Chris Hurley corner, Connor Heydon managed to bundle the ball home against his former club to give the Bears the advantage.
Weston then secured the result through a superb Aaron Niyonkuru solo effort 10 minutes from full-time.
The former Adamstown attacker picked the ball up just inside the visitors’ half before dancing around three defenders to fire the ball into the top right corner of Jenkin’s goal.
It was a spirited display from Weston who climbed to fourth with the victory, an impressive way to bounce back following their horror defeat to start the season against Lambton.
The defeat was Adamstown’s third in a row which sees them remain rooted to the foot of the table after three rounds.
Weston will look to make it three wins in a row when they travel to Magic Park to face heavyweights Broadmeadow on Sunday, while Adamstown will be desperate to earn their first points of the season when they host Valentine in their round four clash on Saturday.
Charlestown Azzurri 0-1 Broadmeadow Magic
A 92nd minute winner from Keanu Moore saw Broadmeadow maintain their undefeated start to the season as Magic downed Charlestown 1-0 on Saturday.
It was a fiery clash at Lisle Carr Oval, with Azzurri and Magic reduced to 10 men inside the opening 20 minutes.
First, Azzurri’s Regan Lundy was sent off when he appeared to strike Moore on the ground after Lundy had fouled Moore as the pair battled for possession.
Shortly after, Magic defender Jon Griffiths was shown a second yellow card for a clumsy challenge inside his own half.
The windy conditions and heavy, bobbly pitch made life difficult for both sides until late on when Magic stole the three points.
Jake Harris skipped past a challenge on the left before standing a ball up to the back post for Moore to arrive late and volley past Nathan Archbold to break Azzurri hearts.
The win keeps Broadmeadow in second place, two points behind leaders Maitland, while Charlestown are seventh with a game in hand.
Magic will look to keep up their strong start under new head coach Damian Zane when they host Weston on Sunday, while Charlestown will look to bounce back when they travel to Maitland to face the Magpies on Sunday.
Newcastle Olympic 2-4 Maitland FC
Maitland maintained their 100 per cent start to the season with a 4-2 victory over Newcastle Olympic on Saturday night.
The Magpies are flying high at the top of the NPL table as the only side with nine points after three rounds.
Sean Pratt opened the scoring at Darling Street Oval with a fabulous volley in the third minute.
Dino Fajkovic pulled Olympic level midway through the first half, firing home from the right after Maitland had failed to clear an Olympic corner.
Maitland regained the lead seven minutes into the second half when Matt Swan did brilliantly to tee up Tye Cousins who produced a cool side foot finish to restore the Magpies’ advantage.
Alex Read gave Maitland some breathing room with 17 minutes to play when he danced in from the right before finishing into the bottom right corner.
But the hosts refused to quit and reduced the deficit one minute later when Ryan Griffiths volleyed home at the back post.
The Magpies though would seal the result five minutes later when Pratt dispatched a penalty.
Maitland will look to continue their perfect start to the campaign when they host Charlestown Azzurri on Sunday, while Newcastle Olympic will attempt to rally after back-to-back defeats when they travel to Jack McLaughlan Oval to face Edgeworth in their round four clash on Saturday.
Lambton Jaffas 1-0 Valentine FC
Lambton bounced back from a flat display last time out to down Valentine 1-0 on Sunday.
The Jaffas left it late at a windy Arthur Edden Oval, with Kale Bradbury firing home the winner from 25 yards into the bottom right corner to seal the three points for the hosts.
The win saw Lambton climb to third on the table, with the Jaffas to face another stiff test when they host Lake Macquarie City in the Match of the Round in round four.
The defeat was Valentine’s second from their opening two games, with Adam Hughes’ men needing to bounce back when they travel to Adamstown Oval to face bottom of the table Adamstown Rosebud on Saturday.
Lake Macquarie City 3-2 Edgeworth FC
Lake Macquarie City celebrated their Old Boys’ Day in style as a 92nd minute winner gave them a 3-2 victory over Edgeworth on Sunday.
Edgeworth took the lead after 13 minutes at Macquarie Field when Dylan Holz bundled the ball home from close range.
Lakes drew level three minutes later when former A-League player Nick Cowburn fired home from a difficult angle following an angled cross field pass.
The Eagles regained the lead five minutes before half-time when Edgeworth captain Josh Evans steered the ball home from a corner kick.
But City refused to quit, dragging themselves level again just before the hour mark from a corner of their own.
Edgeworth failed to clear Cowburn’s corner with the ball falling to Campbell Ross outside the penalty area. Ross fired it back towards goal, with the ball appearing to deflect in off Reece Newton.
Lakes have been unfortunate in the first two rounds, conceding a late equaliser to heavyweights Broadmeadow before they went down 3-2 to 2020 grand finalists Maitland.
But finally the football gods smiled on Josh Rufo’s side as they left it late to seal the three points.
Veteran striker Chris Berlin whipped in a deflected cross in stoppage time with Kamam Bol bundling the ball towards goal. Edgeworth goalkeeper Josh Low made the save only for the ball to bounce back off Eagles defender Sam Maxwell and into the net.
“It was incredible. You put it down to the energy and effort we tried to start the season with,” Cowburn told Bar TV.
“We were a little bit unlucky in the first two games but you can’t deny we were the better team energy wise tonight.
“We know the quality that Edgeworth possess. They’re a good team and the only way you’re going to match them on the field is if you lift that energy. So that’s what our focus was heading into the game.
“We’ve still got room for improvement but you can’t fault the energy in that one.
“I like [my new role at Lakes]. They sold me on the promise they’re trying to rebuild this club and me being a local boy from this area I bought into it. I want to make this club good again.
“I’m really proud of the boys. It’s what we’re trying to do the whole year, bring that energy and effort every week and we’ll be alright.”
The win saw Lakes climb into the top five, while the reigning premiers and champions slump to eighth after three rounds.
City will face another tough test when they travel to Arthur Edden Oval to face Lambton Jaffas in the Match of the Round on Saturday, while Edgeworth will look to kick start their season when they host Newcastle Olympic in their round four clash on Saturday evening.
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