Match of the Round
Broadmeadow Magic v Edgeworth
Magic Park, Sunday 28 May 4pm
The attacking trio of Magic’s Wells, Smith, and Benson will pose a significant threat to the Edgeworth defense in this week’s Match of the Round on Sunday.
Both sides have a tight turnaround coming into this week’s clash, coming off the back of mid-week matches.
Edgeworth faced a demanding 120 minutes of football on Wednesday evening, ultimately overcoming Charlestown Azzurri with a hard-fought 2-0 victory after extra time in Round 5 of the Australia Cup.
In defeating the league leaders, Edgeworth once again demonstrated their title aspirations. However, coach Peter McGuinness expressed uncertainty about his starting side for the weekend.
“We’ll see how we pull up after this as it went to extra time,” McGuinness said.
The Eagle’s coach believes that it is highly competitive this season, with no easy matches.
“Probably the closest I have seen at the halfway mark, all games are very tough,” McGuinness said.
Broadmeadow delivered an outstanding performance as they triumphed over New Lambton 5-0 victory in their Round Seven catch-up match on Wednesday night.
Magic will be looking to repeat their performance again after they showcased their dominance with tight combinations, off-the-ball movement, and an aggressive press that prevented New Lambton from finding their rhythm.
Bailey Wells was relentless in pressing the New Lambton defense and was rewarded in the 44th minute when his pressure forced a defensive mistake, allowing Wells to score.
Riley Smith has been key in attack for Magic, forcing opposing teams to tirelessly defend him.
Magic were able to capitalise off the duo when Wells and Smith’s hard work allowed Josh Benson to hit the back of the net.
Coach John Bennis had the luxury of resting players at around the 60-minute mark on Wednesday night, which may prove to be a big advantage over an exhausted Eagles side.
Magic’s win elevates them to fifth place on the table with 20 points, four points adrift of Edgeworth in second place who have played one more match.
Maitland v New Lambton
Cooks Square Park, Saturday 27 May 2:30pm
Maitland’s side will be hoping to continue their good fortunes when they take on New Lambton on Saturday.
Their recent performances have been nothing short of impressive, scoring 16 unanswered goals in the last three matches.
In their last three games, the Magpies have secured a 3-0 victory over Lambton Jaffas last Saturday, a 5-0 win against Adamstown Rosebud the week before, and a 6-0 triumph against Lake Macquarie City in their round 7 catch-up match on Wednesday, May 17.
Braedyn Crowley, last year’s Golden Boot winner, has continued his outstanding form and is currently leading this year’s race after finding the net 16 times. His contributions have been instrumental in the Magpies’ flight up the table.
The Magpies had a sluggish start to the season, but have now found their form, sitting in sixth place on the table trailing leaders Charlestown Azzurri by ten points.
While they are playing catch-up, the competition remains wide open with seven or eight teams still in contention for the title.
Maitland coach Michael Bolch acknowledged the fierce competition after 12 rounds, describing it as the tightest in recent years.
“It’s definitely the tightest competition we’ve seen in a few years, and if Valo win against Olympic we could have eight teams in the mix,” said Bolch.
“We are gradually improving as the season progresses, but there’s still a lot of room for growth within our team.”
Looking ahead to their next fixture, the Magpies are expected to field an unchanged squad.
New Lambton have a quick turnaround, after going down 5-0 to Broadmeadow Magic in their Round 7 catch-up fixture on Wednesday night.
Thomas Davies’ side is currently sitting tenth on the table and are in desperate need of three points to keep their chase for finals alive.
Newcastle Olympic v Lake Macquarie City
Darling St Oval, Saturday 27 May 3pm
Newcastle Olympic will be determined to seize all three points when they take on Lake Macquarie this weekend.
Newcastle Olympic faced a challenging 0-0 draw against Valentine in their mid-week Round seven catch-up match. Despite the lack of goals, Olympic’s recent performances have been commendable, leading them to climb to fourth place on the table.
Olympic’s victories over Maitland and Lambton Jaffas in Rounds 10 and 11 have been particularly impressive.
Looking ahead, Olympic now have an opportunity to further solidify their position in the title race with three crucial points against Lake Macquarie City.
As the competition enters the second half, a win in this upcoming match will go a long way in consolidating Olympic’s position at the business end of the table.
Lake Macquarie are still desperately searching for their first win, sitting at the bottom of the table on one point. The Roosters will need to pull out something special against Olympic to leave Darling St Oval with all three points.
Valentine v Charlestown Azzurri
Hunter Sports Centre, Saturday 27 May 5pm
Valentine will be desperately after three points against the league leaders Charlestown Azzurri on Saturday.
Valentine’s goalless draw against Newcastle Olympic in Wednesday’s round seven clash has highlighted the importance of securing three points to stay in reach of the title contenders.
Valentine boasts a formidable attacking line-up capable of troubling their upcoming opponents. Nicholas Martinelli and Tyrone Mulder have displayed impressive form in recent matches, adding to the team’s firepower.
Charlestown Azzurri managed to secure a 2-1 victory over New Lambton last weekend, extending their lead at the top of the table to four points.
However, the Azzurri squad will be tested after enduring a grueling 120 minutes of Australia Cup action on Wednesday night.
The rest of the competition will be watching with keen interest as the outcome could have significant implications for the title race.
Adamstown Rosebud v Cooks Hill United
Adamstown Oval, Saturday 27 May 2:30pm
Both Adamstown Rosebud and Cooks Hill will aim to maintain their winning momentum when they battle it out this weekend.
Rosebud were able to clench an impressive 3-2 victory over Valentine last week. The return of their number 9, Dino Fajkovic, played a vital role, scoring two goals.
Cooks Hill also secured a convincing 4-1 win against Lake Macquarie City last weekend, bringing their total points to 13. They will be looking to last week’s goal scorer Brock Beveridge, who put 2 past Lake Macquarie to continue his form.
Both Adamstown Rosebud and Cooks Hill are aware of the importance that three points can make to their chase up the table to make finals.
Weston Bears v Lambton Jaffas
Arthur Eden Oval, Sunday 28 May 2:30pm
The Weston Bears will be hoping to secure the win against Jaffas on Sunday.
The Bears have had an impressive season so fair, currently sitting in third place. They trail Edgeworth by just one point, and league leaders Azzurri by 5 points. However, the Bears have one game in hand compared to the top two, which could prove to be vital in the title race.
Lambton Jaffas have experienced a decline in form, slipping from second on the table to sixth. The side will be eager to make a resurgence back into the top four and return from Arthur Eden Oval with an important three points.
As the race for the title intensifies, the Bears and Jaffas are among a group of seven teams vying for the premiership.