REVIEW | NPL NNSW Round 7 - 2020
SPROULE SPORTS FOCUS
JAMES WARD
MATCH OF THE ROUND
NEWCASTLE OLYMPIC 1-3 CHARLESTOWN AZZURRI
Charlestown Azzurri notched a breakthrough result running out convincing 3-1 winners over Newcastle Olympic at Darling Street Oval on Sunday.
Rene Ferguson got the ball rolling for the away side burying a chance in the third minute before capitalising on a mistake at the back by Newcastle to make it two on the half hour mark.
Azzurri had the majority of the chances in the first half while Dino Fajkovic went close at the other end after great build up play by Olympic full-back Jacob Cresnar.
Olympic reduced the deficit three minutes into the second half when Jared Muller scored to give them a chance with almost a full half to play.
But it was Azzurri’s day as the away side would hold firm and grab another goal of their own in injury time through Zaell Ford to put the icing on the cake.
“The only difference from the game is we put the ball in the net. I was really pleased with the group but not surprised as I’ve been reassuring them to keep doing what they’re doing,” Charlestown coach Graham Law said.
“I highlighted my senior squad when we won up at Weston. [But] my young boys stepped up [against Olympic]. Riley Smith, Regan Lundy, Jackson Frendo and Zac Lloyd and these young boys. I’m going to stick with them.
“The game could’ve been gone at half-time but when Newcastle scored I sat back and watched the next 20 minutes and I wanted to see how we would react and I was really pleased with that moment of the game.
“We’ve got Lambton and Maitland the next two games and respectfully they’re two of the more dominant teams in the league and I’m actually really pleased with that because it will test my boys at the level I believe they can play at which is top four football.”
The win puts Azzurri back into the mix to play finals football, moving them onto seven points and into seventh place while only three points outside the top four.
Olympic would be ruing a missed opportunity to cement themselves inside the top five although will play a rescheduled game against Maitland at home on Wednesday night.
LAMBTON JAFFAS 6-3 ADAMSTOWN ROSEBUD
Lambton and Adamstown played out a nine-goal thriller in one of the most exciting games of the 2020 season so far.
With plenty of goals on offer, a few were bound to be special and Kale Bradbury’s strike in the 18th minute was no exception as the attacker drove home the ball from long range.
James Lowe equalised for Rosebuds shortly after before Luke Remington hit a tremendous looping volley over Daniel Eisenhauer in goal to mark one of the goals of the season.
Nathan Verity made it 3-1 before half-time but Adamstown continued to fight after the break and pegged a goal back through Callum Gabriel.
It took another Luke Remington special to give the Jaffas back their two-goal lead but again Adamstown would come knocking with Luke Valloje scoring in the 73rd minute.
Two late Matt Thompson goals sealed the exhilarating result for Lambton as the Jaffas moved into fourth on the table with their third win of the year.
“To score six goals and to still come away disappointed is how I feel about it,” Lambton coach James Pascoe said.
“We’ve conceded too often this year but certainly some nice goals on display from [Luke Remington] and Kale.
“We want to be as high as we can and Edgeworth has double the amount of point than us. So it hasn’t been good enough so we’ve got high expectations and sitting in fourth isn’t one of those and the onus is on us to keep improving.
“You couldn’t go past Luke Remington and I was really happy for him. He’s been a real club stalwart and Kale Bradbery has been our most consistent player to this point and I think Mitch Oxborrow came up with three assists so some positive stuff there as well but some stuff to iron out too.”
On the other hand, Shane Cansdell-Sherriff’s side would not have enjoyed conceding six goals which now sees them in a three-way scrap at the bottom of the table with Valentine and Lake Macquarie.
The Rosebuds will play the Phoenix on Wednesday night in a huge game for both teams.
MAITLAND MAGPIES 0-0 BROADMEADOW MAGIC
Maitland and Broadmeadow shared the points after playing out a hard-fought 0-0 draw at Cooks Square Park on Saturday.
In testing, windy conditions at Maitland’s home ground the two sides battled hard for chances but could not crack their opposing defensive lines.
The result stretches Maitland’s unbeaten streak at their home ground to 15 games while Magic have maintained the six-point gap between themselves and the Magpies, who sit in third, although Maitland have a game in hand.
The Magpies play Newcastle Olympic at Darling Street Oval on Wednesday night in a chance to reduce the gap.
Broadmeadow remain in second spot but have slipped to five points behind Edgeworth in the race for the premiership.
Magic will face Weston next round in another massive game for the red and yellow.
VALENTINE PHOENIX 0-2 EDGEWORTH EAGLES
Edgeworth have made it seven wins from seven with a 2-0 victory against Valentine at CB Complex on Sunday.
Two second half goals to Will Bower paved the way to victory for the Eagles with the side maintaining their stronghold on first spot.
Bower put away a penalty in the 69th minute before slotting away a one-on-one chance five minutes later.
The result also made it five games in a row Edgeworth have gone without conceding amassing their fifth clean sheet in as many games.
The Eagles will fancy their chances of continuing their unbeaten run against Newcastle Olympic at Jack McLaughlan Oval on Sunday.
Valentine remain at the bottom of the table after the result but will face Adamstown midweek and Lake Macquarie next weekend to mark a couple of massive games for the Phoenix.
WESTON WORKERS 3-1 LAKE MACQUARIE CITY
Weston beat Lake Macquarie 3-1 to earn a superb win at Rockwell Automation Park on Sunday.
The triumph was the Bears’ first on their home patch this season with the result also moving them into fifth and equal on points with Lambton and Maitland.
Aaron Niyonkuru continued his impressive form with a goal in the seventh minute to give the Bears the lead.
The Roosters equalised shortly after through an own goal to put the game back to all square.
But two Connor Heydon goals early in the second half wrapped up the win for the Bears to seal their third victory of the season.
Weston will host Broadmeadow at home next round in another massive encounter while the Roosters will play Valentine in a battle of the cellar dwellers.
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