The Lambton Jaffas finished their on a high with a 4-1 thumping on the Bears to end what has been an up and down season for last season’s semi-finalists.
Match of the Round
Edgeworth Eagles 3 (McBreen 29’, Holz 72’, Fayers 85’) defeated Adamstown Rosebuds 1 (Read 90’) at Adamstown Oval, Sunday 14th August 2.30pm
With five of the Eagles regular starters rested for the final round fixture, first-grade chances fell to some of Edgeworth’s 22s players with Sam Maxwell playing the full match at right back, while Will Bowers, Bailey Garland and Chris Fayers all came off the bench in the second half.
Damian Zane praised his young side after they scrapped their way to a 3-1 win on Old Boys’ Day at Adamstown Oval on Sunday.
“Will Bower, Bailey Garland and Sam Maxwell who started today, they are only 17 at the moment and they came on and were great,” Zane said.
“Will went for a nice run, Bailey set up a goal, and young Chris [Fayers] came on and scored. They are very confident and moving forward it is very exciting.”
In front of Peter McGuiness, who announced to take the reigns at Adamstown next year, the youthful Rosebuds started with plenty of energy. Thom Lino looked the most likely for the home side.
But, after an even opening 20 minutes, the Eagles found their groove as Aden Gardner sprayed their first real chance wide.
Jets Youth 2 (Thurgate 6’, Brymora 53’) defeated Valentine Phoenix 0 at Cahill Oval, Saturday 13th August 3pm
The Jets Youth ended their 2016 PlayStation 4 NPL Northern NSW season on a high, winning their third match in succession to end what has been, on the whole, a positive year.
After a slow start to the season, where they won just one of their opening eight matches, the Jets Youth side roared home, to finish the season off with seven wins, three draws and eight losses to finish in 5th spot.
The young Jets took just six minutes to open the scoring when Finn Paris played a perfectly timed ball through to Angus Thurgate who ran down the right edge of the box, cut inside, and thumped his right foot shot across Phoenix keeper Beyhan Irmako for a 1-0 advantage.
Both sides were unable to grab another goal before the break, as the Jets went in with a slender 1-0 lead. Immediately after half-time though the Jets struck again, this time through Kristian Brymora. After a weaving run from Ryan Ensor through the heart of Valentine’s defence, the ball fell to Finn Paris on the right edge whose low cross was touched by Brymora at the near post but was saved well by Irmako.
The ball fell back to Brymora on a tight angle on the right who shot again with his left and was saved by Irmako once more. It was a case of third-time lucky for the Jets striker as he finished into an empty net when Valentine’s keeper couldn’t regather his save.
Lambton Jaffas 4 (Wheelhouse 4’, Remington 32’, 52’, Wood 60’) defeated Weston Bears 1 (Ashton 62’) at Arthur Edden Oval, Saturday 13th August 2.30pm
The win ensures the Jaffas finish season 2016 in 7th spot and gives James Pascoe’s men somewhere to improve on going into 2017.
Jobe Wheelhouse opened the scoring with a blazing free kick from just the left of the semi-circle on the edge of the box. He thumped it into the top right corner, which hit the crossbar on its way in.
The Jaffas second came just after the half-hour mark when Joel Wood curled in a cross from the right which bounced to Luke Remington at the back post. The Jaffas winger then stepped past two defenders before stepping onto his right foot and putting it past Benn Kelly in the Weston goal.
After a dominant first half, the Jaffas went into the shed leading 2-0 and their dominance continued on the other side of the break and it was Luke Remington who found the back of the next once more.
On this occasion it was Ben Hay whose cross found him in the middle of the box to calmly volley into the left upright which deflected in – it was a stark contract for Jaffas fans to Wednesday night, where they couldn’t find the back of the net if they tried.
The Jaffas final goal of the afternoon, came 15 minutes into the second half, as Ben Hay cut inside the left edge of the box and crossed perfectly to Joel Wood in the middle of the box who tapped home for a 4-0 lead.
The Bears grabbed one back two minutes later to set up an intriguing finish when Robbie Turnbull sent Lee Ashton one-on-one with Brad Swancott.
Broadmeadow Magic 2 (Pettit 39’, Kantarovski 86’) defeated Maitland Magpies FC 0 at Cooks Square Park, Sunday 14th August 2.30pm
With a confident 2-0 victory over the Magpies at Cooks Square Park, Broadmeadow Magic wrapped the third spot on the ladder and a match-up with rivals Hamilton in the semifinals. Scott Petitt and Michael Kantarovski scored for the second week to seal the deal.
After controlling much of the opening half, Maitland were unable to find the back of the net.
The visitors got their first goal of the afternoon just before half-time which started from their own half.
Lawrence Foteff reefed a clearance from Magic’s left corner of defence to Kale Bradbury who went one-on-one with Maitland keeper Matt Trott. Trott saved Bradbury’s shot but was unable to keep Pettit’s follow up out.
With Magic needing just a draw to seal the third spot it was up to Maitland to throw caution to the win in the second half if they wanted third spot. It was Broadmeadow though, who had the better of the chances.
Hamilton Olympic 3 (Goodchild 9’, 90+2’, Mooney 30’) defeated Charlestown City Blues 0 at Lisle Carr Oval, Sunday 14th August 2.30pm
Hamilton Olympic became the first side since Edgeworth in 1999 to go through an entire Northern NSW football season undefeated when they took down Charlestown at Lisle Carr Oval on Sunday.
They also made history in another area as well. Since 1959, where first-grade football table archives go back to, there has been no side who has gone undefeated and not win the premiership.
With Magic’s victory against Maitland, it was ensured that Hamilton will take on Broadmeadow over the next two weekends for a spot in the Grand Final.
It took just nine minutes for Olympic to hit the front when Simon Mooney played a short corner to Tommy Spencer. Spencer then rolled a centimetre-perfect cross to Kane Goodchild at the back post, who rose above Rene Ferguson to head home his 17th of the season and put him level with Keigo Moriyasu as the league’s golden boot.
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