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BEN HOMER  

Hamilton Olympic 2 (Goodchild (p) 26’, Smith 40’) defeated Broadmeadow Magic 1 (Sunada 14’) at Magic Park.

Hamilton coach Michael Bolch described their 2-1 come-from-behind victory over local rivals Broadmeadow as “season-turning” in Sunday’s ‘Match of the Round’.

Down 1-0 early in the opening half, Olympic fought back and took the lead before half-time – one they would never relinquish – in a spiteful clash at Magic Park.

Speaking post-match to BarTV Sports’ Damien Smith, Bolch felt his side dug deep.

“I thought the boys showed a lot of determination to come back from 1-0 down,” Bolch said.

“We changed the shape a little bit today, put a couple of young boys in there and I thought they worked really hard through the middle of the park.”

He felt it was a challenge from captain and Man of the Match, Kyle Hodges, that turned the derby.

“In about the 15^th or 20^th minute, Kyle Hodges won three really important challenges in the space of two minutes and I thought we lifted from there and I thought that really showed how much we wanted the game.”

Olympic’s coach was also proud of his side’s response after their Westfield FFA Cup defeat on Wednesday night.

“After Wednesday night where I thought we were pretty poor, it showed a lot of character of the boys today.”

Magic started by far the stronger of the two sides, with Dino Fajkovic and Peter Haynes both finding space between the lines.

Broadmeadow grabbed their deserved goal in the 13^th minute when Takumi Sanada’s free kick from outside the box and in line with the left post deflected its way in.

The free kick, ricocheted off the backside of Olympic defender Grant Brown forcing Tyler Warren to dive back to his right, and save it into the upright. The ball deflected off the upright and back into the goal to give Magic the lead.

However, on Olympic’s first foray forward, a rash challenge from Magic keeper Niko Giantsopoulos soon gave the visitors a chance to get themselves level.

Running away from goal in the box, Daniel Bird was cut down by Giantspoulos and referee Glen Peterkin pointed to the spot without hesitation. Kane Goodchild converted the penalty in his 50^th match for the club to make it 1-1.

Just over ten minutes later, disaster struck for the home side, as Broadmeadow gave away another penalty – their seventh in their last three matches in the PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues (NPL) Northern NSW (NNSW) competition.

On this occasion, Josh Piddington and Scott Smith went shoulder to shoulder in the box and both went to ground.

Immediately, Peterkin pointed to the spot and Smith stepped up to finish the spot kick. Giantsopoulos made the initial save, but, Smith cleaned up the scraps and made it 2-1.

Hamilton took their lead into the break and in the second half, had a couple of golden chances to seal the match.

First, Kane Goodchild raced downfield and went one-on-one with Ginatsopolous, but could only strike his shot at the Magic custodian.

Then it was Daniel Bird’s chance as the ball fell to him unmarked at the back post following an Olympic break. However, Bird just pushed his shot wide of the target.

Magic huffed and puffed but just couldn’t break through the stout Olympic defence marshalled well by Man of the Match Kyle Hodges.

The win leaves Broadmeadow in a precarious position, six points outside the top four at the halfway point of the season with Hamilton sit fourth after their ten matches.

 

Valentine Phoenix 2 (Murray 7’, D.Pettit 90+2) defeated Weston Bears 1 (Barner 36’) at Cahill Oval.

Westfield FFA Cup hero one minute, PS4 NPL NNSW hero the next. It has been some week for Valentine’s Dean Pettit.

On Wednesday night he saved the Phoenix from embarrassment against Zone Premier League side the Newcastle Suns, scoring two goals later to ensure a 4-2 victory.

However, he took it up another notch against the Weston Bears, scoring in the final minutes to secure three crucial points for Valentine.

It seemed that a word from coach Darren Sills earlier in the afternoon was the catalyst for Pettit’s late performance.

Frustrated, in an under 20s side that hasn’t won a game this season, coach Darren Sills pulled him aside before the match.

“It’s really difficult for the kid because he is in the 20s and they haven’t had a win yet and they are struggling.

“He was getting a bit frustrated today, and I pulled him aside and had a talk with him. I said, ‘Mate you need to curb your frustration, you are still learning and one of the things you can’t do is let everyone see you are frustrated.’

“Ideally it would be great to see the Jets Youth have a look at him and I think he has got the talent to be able to that,” Sills said.

The winner came following a long throw from the right edge courtesy of Josh Carroll.

Reece Pettit glanced his header to Pettit at the back post who was unmarked. The ball bounced up kindly for him, thumping a first-time volley into the bottom left corner – unstoppable for Bears keeper Kane Runge.

While Valentine celebrated the win, coach Sills said post-match that he was “relieved” more than anything after Pettit’s winner.

Sills said they wasted plenty of opportunities in the first half, gave away a silly penalty and headed to the sheds at half-time all square.

“Ten to go before half-time we were playing really good football and then we gave away a silly free-kick. 12 goals we have conceded this year and our ninth set piece. We just can’t keep giving away set pieces,” Sills said.

“It’s frustrating because you walk into the sheds 1-1 when we possibly could have been three up. Second half comes and they were very, very good and really took it to us.”

Valentine couldn’t have started the afternoon any better, and they were in front after just seven minutes. Chris Brown curled a perfect cross in from the left edge onto the head of Josh Murray who nodded home his first goal for the Phoenix in the top grade.

The Phoenix continued to create chances, as Jalon Brown had a golden chance to make it 2-0, after racing down field and going one-on-one with Runge. However, the former Mariner’s Youth keeper was up to the task, saving well to keep the deficit to one.

The Bears found a route back into the match via the penalty spot after Phoenix midfielder Daniel Minors cut down Chris Hurley in the box. Jake Barner stepped up to take the spot-kick which Scott Carter dived low to his right to save. However, unluckily for Carter, the ball rebounded back for Barner to tap home to make it 1-1.

The sides were locked up at one apiece at halftime, and in the second Weston gained the ascendency but couldn’t strike a decisive blow, until Pettit ensured all three points were staying at Valentine.

 

Newcastle Jets Youth 2 (Brymora 18’, 65’) defeated Lambton Jaffas 1 (Wheelhouse 83’) at Arthur Edden Oval.

The Newcastle Jets Youth caused the biggest upset of the PS4 NPL NNSW season to date, as the side sitting in the last place before the round began, knocked off the ladder-leading Jaffas on Saturday afternoon.

Just ten days after it was announced that he was receiving a scholarship and would be staying on at the Jets next season, Kristian Brymora starred for the youth side, scoring twice on the day and making it four goals in his last three PS4 NPL matches.

The Jets opened the scoring at a sunny Arthur Edden Oval when Cameron Joice curled a ball over the top of the Jaffas backline to Brymora who raced onto it, went one-on-one with Jaffas keeper Brad Swancott, and calmly slotted with his right boot across Swancott and into the bottom left corner.

The Jets took the lead into the sheds, and when they returned Brymora scored his second. On this occasion, it was Cody Carroll who threaded the pass to Brymora who fired low and hard with a high right boot across Swancott once more from just outside the box.

Lambton were always coming though and following a corner, Jobe Wheelhouse turned onto his right boot, and from an acute angle on the left curled and dipped his shot inside the far post.

A coat of paint was between the Jaffas and stealing a point when Riley McNaughton thumped his shot into the apex of the Jets goal from 45 degrees on the right, but, it wasn’t to be for Lambton in the end as they fell just short.

While Jaffas coach James Pascoe was disappointed with the result, he felt “it wasn’t necessarily unexpected”.

“I actually sort of half tipped it on Wednesday night during the FFA Cup game, to the boys on the bench. We looked very fatigued in that one and had to use pretty much the same group of players given the injuries we picked up in the Maitland game,” Pascoe said.

“The first goal was always going to be really important today. They got it. It gave them an extra boost and made it seem like a bit more of a mountain for us to climb.”

Jets Youth coach Clayton Zane saw the result as a positive for the league.

“I think it’s a reflection of the whole league, that anyone can beat anyone really,” Zane said.

“It’s actually been quite good to watch this year because I think since I’ve done the NPL, I think this is probably the closest year in regards, to pretty much any team can beat anyone on the day. It’s not good for the top teams I guess, but, it shows the competition is getting better.”

Zane also was pleased with the added confidence his side will get out of the result.

“It was a good one for us in terms of confidence today to get over the line because we have been close, we’ve just been unable to seal games. Today we had eleven players that turned up and it was good, it was impressive to watch.”

 

Edgeworth Eagles 2 (Moriyasu 83’, Brice 90’) defeated Lake Macquarie Roosters 1 (Toohey 32’) at Macquarie Field.

Edgeworth returned to the top of the table following a late fightback against the Roosters at Macquarie Field.

Down 1-0 heading into the final ten minutes, Keigo Moriyasu and Ayden Brice stepped up to ensure the Eagles headed home with all three points.

Edgeworth controlled much of the ball, however, it was Lakes who opened the scoring.

Sam Walker’s corner was headed out of the box to Justin Broadley on the right edge who curled a cross onto the head of defender Matt Toohey at the back post.

Toohey placed his header back over Edgeworth keeper Nate Cavaliere who rushed towards him and the Roosters took the lead.

The home side took the advantage into the break and held on stoutly until the 83^rd minute when Keigo Moriyasu struck.

Ayden Brice rolled a low cross from the right to Moriyasu at the top of the box who dove to his right, swung his right foot sweetly through the shot which nestled inside the near post.

In stoppage time Brice turned from provider to scorer and he did it all on his own. The Eagles defender stepped past a couple of tired Lakes defenders and from the right edge of the box, placed his shot inside the near post of Benn Kelly.

Edgeworth stealing the three points which now puts them at the top of the ladder after ten matches.

Eagles coach Damian Zane said to his side after the match that “there the type of games Championship teams win.”

“I said to the boys don’t you apologise to anyone for winning late. The game’s 90 minutes. It always has been and it always will be. If you score late, guess what, that is part of the game.”

Zane said it was a huge result after a “physically, emotionally draining” victory over Hamilton in the Westfield FFA Cup on Wednesday night.

Lakes coach Anthony Richards was gutted after they “had their hearts broken again.”

“To have some points and then lose them right at the end, it’s like watching Marley and Me. It was heartbreaking.”

Richards says he feels that late goals they have conceded haven’t been down to any one thing.

“I think it’s certainly not a lack of effort. Overall, I think the last 10-15 minutes we did try to hang on. I thought a draw probably would have been a fair result, but, to their credit, they just kept pushing and pushing and got one at the end.”

 

Adamstown Rosebud 3 (Niyonkuru 3’, Read 40’, (p) 66’) defeated Maitland Magpies 1 (Martin (p) 83’) at Adamstown Oval.

The upsets continued in round 11, as Adamstown claimed their first win of season 2017, and in fine style with a 3-1 win against Maitland.

An Alex Read double, along with Aaron Niyonkuru’s first of the season lead the Rosebud’s to a huge three points at home.

It only took three minutes for the home side to take the lead through Niyonkuru who cut through Maitland’s defence and curled his shot into the top corner.

Alex Read doubled the Rosebud’s lead five minutes before the break, darting through the Magpies backline, went one-on-one with Maitland keeper Matt Trott and slotted home.

Adamstown took a 2-0 lead into the break and midway through the second half Alex Read scored his second from the penalty spot after he was pulled down in the box.

Ben Martin grabbed a late consolation for Maitland after they received a spot-kick, but, it was all too little too late for the visitors as they went down 3-1.

Adamstown coach Pete McGuinness said while they have played better and lost, the most important part of the performance was the early goals.

“Goals change matches, and they change the whole complexion of what your teams doing,” McGuinness said.

“We took some opportunities and it changed things for us. When the second one went I, you could sense in and amongst the group that they had a real focus.

“I thought we were probably a little better than them, and we took our opportunities. It was a good performance. I’m really happy for the boys and the club.”

In comparison, Maitland coach Phil Dando felt his side were tired and are looking forward to a much-deserved rest after a busy month and a half.

“We’re all knackered after 12 games in 46 days and we just couldn’t get up for it. We were sloppy, we conceded an early goal and just didn’t get any better,” Dando said.

“That’s not to take anything away from Adamstown, they did well, they were well organised, they got themselves an early goal, and we were up against it from there.”