By Blake Jarrett

Weston Workers FC 1 drew Newcastle Jets Youth 1
Rockwell Automation Park
Saturday 9th August, 2.45pm
Match of the Round

Both Weston and the Newcastle Jets Youth entered Round 18 of the National Premiers Leagues well aware that they needed to leave everything on Rockwell Automation Park come full time.

The second placed Weston needed a win to be crowned 2014 Premiers, whereas the first placed Jets who led by two points needed just a draw.

The match started at an extremely high intensity with both sides looking to get one over their opponent early. The large, vocal crowd was treated to end-to-end, attacking football.

Neither side could manage a goal despite the number of chances, and they went into the half time break locked at 0-0.

A minute after the break the Rockwell Automation Park crowd erupted as Carl Thornton headed the home side into the lead. Weston were looking dangerous all game from Nathan Morris set pieces and finally one came off as his corner from the left hand side found Thornton who drove a header past Hartnett.

Later in the half Nick Cowburn curled in a stunning free kick from distance; however the goal keeper was ruled to have been fouled, so the goal did not stand.

Leading 1-0 in the eighty-third minute, the Bears had just seven minutes remaining until the Premiership was theirs. That was until Tom Whiteside equalised. He threw his boot towards a loose ball after Tim Pratt saved a Reece Papas free kick that was destined for the top left hand corner. Whiteside and his teammates celebrated their joy, aware that they were moments away from becoming Premiers.

After Weston pressured the Jets goal for the remaining six minutes plus stoppage time, the full time whistle sounded with the sides locked at one apiece.

The Jets had done it. They held on. In just their third season they were the NPL Premiers.

A short ceremony took place following the match in which NNSWF Chairman Bill Walker, CEO David Eland and Senior Club/Referee Development Officer Gary Fisher presented the Jets with their trophy. Both captains, Nick Cowburn of the Jets and Carl Thornton of Weston, shared kind words for their own team, coaches, the crowd, the referees, and their opposition. It was a pleasant end to an intriguing match.

Well done to the Newcastle Jets Youth players and staff on a successful and memorable season. 

 

Lambton Jaffas FC 2 def. Adamstown Rosebud FC 0
Arthur Edden Oval
Saturday 9th August, 2.45pm

The second of two cracking Saturday fixtures saw the Lambton Jaffas host Adamstown Rosebud.

Despite dropping out of the Premiership race two weeks ago, 2014 has been a successful season for the Jaffas. They began the round in third, and a win would have seen them finish in that position.

Adamstown were seventh after six victories, and a win could have seen them finish sixth, but at the same time a loss could have seen them fall to as low as ninth.

Kale Bradbery sent the home side into the break with a 1-0 lead.

After the break Bradbery doubled both his and his team’s tally as he latched onto the end of a Michael Lawrence cross, driving the ball just underneath the crossbar.

Both sides’ keepers, Danny Ireland and Scott Carter, made a number of good saves throughout the game to provide their side a fighting chance.

It was the Jaffas who came away victorious however, winning the match two goals to nil.

In his last match in charge, Rosebud coach Anthony Richards was pleased with his side’s performance, suggesting that they ‘played really well, created some great chances, but could not score’.

He labeled Sean Matthews as a standout once again.

The win sees the Jaffas finish the season in third on thirty points. They will take on Weston in their semi final in two weeks time.

Adamstown dropped to eighth with the loss, but nonetheless it was an impressive first season back in the top flight where a finals spot eluded them by just two wins.

 

Hamilton Olympic FC 2 def. Edgeworth FC 0
Darling Street Oval
Sunday 10th August, 2.45pm

Hamilton welcomed Edgeworth to Darling Street Oval in the first of three huge Sunday afternoon clashes.

Hamilton began the round in sixth and knew that they must win to have any chance of playing finals football.

A win would have seen Edgeworth finish fourth, however they could have fallen to fifth with a loss.

Hamilton went ahead in the twelfth minute. Rhys Cooper was brought down in the box by Cameron Hughes, winning his side a penalty. Dave Hodgson stepped up and drove the penalty into the bottom right hand corner, leaving Jim Fogarty stranded in the middle of his goals.

Ben Koina then sent a shot agonizingly wide of the right post after getting in behind and side footing past Fogarty.

Olympic went into the break ahead 1-0. Fogarty made a number of crucial saves to keep his side in the contest as they went into half time.

Rhys Cooper capped off a memorable day, scoring his first goal in the NPL in the sixty-fifth minute. He received a pass from James Monie, and despite slipping, he showed strength and composure to beat three players and drive a cracking strike into the bottom left hand corner.

Hamilton keeper Brad Swancott then produced a number of fine saves to deny Edgeworth a comeback, and Hamilton won the match 2-0.

The result saw Edgeworth drop to fifth, as Charlestown defeated Broadmeadow Magic. This meant that Hamilton missed out on the top five by just a point, finishing the season in sixth.

Hamilton coach Mick Bolch was proud of the performance but was understandably disappointed as the side bowed out of the competition.

‘We played very well,’ he said.

‘If we showed that intensity and urgency last week we would be in the finals, but that's football’.

‘We won all three grades which secured the Club Championship today which is a big thing. It is never a successful season when first grade miss the semi finals but the depth at the club is great and it will only get stronger as these young kids are promoted through the grades’.

Edgeworth will take on Charlestown in two weeks time at Lisle Carr Oval in their semi final clash.

 

Charlestown City Blues FC 2 def. Broadmeadow Magic FC 0
Lisle Carr Oval
Sunday 10th August, 2.45pm 

In the second Sunday afternoon match Charlestown welcomed Broadmeadow to Lisle Carr Oval.

On their quest to make the top five and reach the semi finals Charlestown welcomed back Daniel Bird who was sent off against Weston in Round 16, but were without Troy Hearfield which was a big loss.

Broadmeadow were playing for pride, but also for possibly sixth place. A loss could have seen them drop to ninth.

Kane Goodchild scored either side of half time to give his side a 2-0 win. It also saw him pick up the 2014 NPL Golden Boot with thirteen strikes from fifteen matches.

His first saw him run onto a Rene Ferguson cross from the left hand side in the thirty-fifth minute and produce a good touch between Josh Piddington and Matt Paul. He then slotted the bouncing ball past Adam Pearce.

His second saw him rise to meet a Matt Tull corner from the left hand side on the hour mark, heading the ball into the bottom right hand corner from thirteen yards out.

Blues coach Shane Pryce was ecstatic with the win, suggesting that ‘they played for each other, the team came first and everyone showed great character’.

He went on to label it one of, if not their best performance of the year.

Hamilton defeated Edgeworth 2-0, so Charlestown moved ahead of the Eagles into fourth position.

South Cardiff drew 1-1 with Lake Macquarie, and therefore Magic finish the season in a disappointing ninth position.

Charlestown will now play Edgeworth in a home semi final in two weeks time.

 

Lake Macquarie City FC 1 drew South Cardiff FC 1
Macquarie Field 
Sunday 10th August, 2.45pm

In the final match of Round 18 Lake Macquarie City hosted the South Cardiff Gunners in a match that had no affect on the finals, just merely two teams playing for pride.

The home side was without regulars Ash Illfield, Jarrod Olivieri, Dan Walker and Ben Dooley. South Cardiff was also missing two key players in Matt Wilesmith and Nathan Stevens.

On the quarter hour mark Lake Macquarie gave away a free kick just outside their eighteen yard box. Jarryd Johnson stepped up to take the free kick, which he curled on target, but was easily saved by Nathan Archbold.

A minute late Tom Walker made a positive break down the right hand side, only to cut in and drive a shot just wide of the left post.

In the twenty-second minute South Cardiff striker Mitch Wallace released Dean Kelley inside their attacking eighteen yard box. Roosters left back Quinn McNeill recovered well to deny him a shot at goal.

The Gunners continued the pressure three minutes later as Sean Clerke sent a left foot shot high and wide.

Lake Macquarie began to fight back and build some momentum of their own. In the thirty-third minute they almost capitalised, as Sam Walker struck a shot over the bar after his brother Tom found him with an accurate cross from the right hand side.

In the fortieth minute South Cardiff wasted a brilliant opportunity from just outside the eighteen yard box, as they executed a rehearsed free kick routine extremely poorly.

Dean Kelley was then forced from the field in the forty-third minute. He was replaced by the competition’s third leading goal scorer Jamie Byrnes.

Just as it looked as though the sides would enter half time locked at 0-0 Lee Ashton sent a long cross towards Mitch Wallace at the back stick from the left hand side. Wallace rose and headed the ball over Archbold to send the Gunners into the break with a one goal lead.

After the break Wallace had a perfect chance to double his side’s lead however he drove his one-on-one shot straight at Archbold. The ball deflected away to Sean Clerke, however he too struck a shot at Archbold who this time held the ball.

In the fifty-first minute Jarryd Johnson won his side a penalty as he sent a cross into the arm of a Lake Macquarie defender. Byrnes stepped up to the spot despite cries for keeper Mick Stafford to take the shot, and sent the ball wide off the left post to the disappointment of the Gunners’ players and fans.

Five minutes later Lake Macquarie were reduced to ten men as Quinn McNeill received his second yellow card for shoving Byrnes after a scuffle between the pair.

The Gunners nearly took advantage of the extra man, however as Balcomb headed wide in the sixty-fifth minute after he got on the end of a pin point Clerke cross.

A minute later Tom Walker equalised for the Roosters. Mick Stafford came rushing out to a loose bouncing ball, however Walker got there first and dinked it over him into the back of the net.

In the seventy-fifth minute Archbold was forced into a brilliant reflex save as an Ash Balcomb in-swinging cross-turned-shot looked on its way into the bottom right hand corner.

Five minutes later Byrnes made a break down the left hand side and squared to Wallace who shot over the bar.

Lake Macquarie was reduced to nine men in the eighty-second minute as Cameron Le Gay Brereton brought down Lee Ashton in the box. Daniel Johnson stepped up to take the penalty and his shot was a mirror image of Byrnes’, missing to the left.

It looked as though it wasn’t going to be South Cardiff’s day as Wallace curled a left foot shot into the post in the eighty-fifth minute, then a minute later Jarryd Johnson’s cross from the right hand side went untouched across the face of the goal.

The score ended one apiece, with the sides forced to share the points.

South Cardiff rose from ninth to seventh with the win, finishing six points outside the top five.

Lake Macquarie inevitably remained last, eight points from ninth placed Broadmeadow.