LAKE MACQUARIE CITY 1-1 VALENTINE FC
Lake Macquarie City missed an opportunity to climb within touching distance of the top five as Valentine FC held them to a 1-1 draw on Saturday.
The match was the feature game during this season’s Mental Health Round, with Lakes looking to keep pace with the finals places as Valentine looked to secure their first win of the campaign.
Mitchell Lawrence gave Valentine the lead 10 minutes before half-time at Macquarie Field with a strike from outside the penalty area into the bottom left corner. The goal was just Valentine’s fourth of the season and only the second of eight matches they had scored in.
Lakes drew level with 25 minutes to play, capitalising on a Valentine slip at the back to win possession before Jackson Burston curled a delightful left-foot strike into the top left corner.
Both sides searched for a winner but were unable to find one, although Lakes goalkeeper Shayne Van As almost gifted Valentine the points deep into stoppage time as he was shut down attempting to play out from the back.
Valentine remained last despite the point while Lakes are seventh, five points outside the top five. Though fifth-placed Newcastle Olympic also have a game in hand.
Valentine will again look to score their first win of the campaign when they host Newcastle Olympic in their round nine clash on Sunday, while Lake Macquarie face Adamstown Rosebud on Saturday.
MAITLAND FC 1-1 BROADMEADOW MAGIC
Maitland maintained their place at the top of the NPL NNSW table as they came from behind to secure a 1-1 draw with Broadmeadow on Friday night.
The Magpies trailed after Mitch Rooke’s header gave Magic the lead just past the hour mark at Cooks Square Park.
Broadmeadow only had six more minutes to hold on to their advantage and they would have returned to the top of the table. But Sean Pratt’s stunning volley from James Thompson’s long switch of play saw Maitland draw level late on and maintain their place at the summit.
Maitland remain first, one point clear of Lambton, while Broadmeadow slipped a point behind Lambton into third.
Maitland will face their second first against second clash in as many weeks next weekend when they travel to Arthur Edden Oval to face Lambton in their round nine clash on Saturday.
Broadmeadow also face a huge fixture, hosting Edgeworth in the Match of the Round on Sunday.
NEWCASTLE OLYMPIC 2-2 WESTON WORKERS FC
Newcastle Olympic came from 2-0 down to secure a 2-2 draw with Weston on Saturday.
The Bears got off to a flyer at Darling Street with a slick passing move that started deep in their own half eventually seeing Tom Duggan play in Connor Heydon with a brilliant pass, with Heydon rolling his finish past Daniel Eisenhauer.
Weston doubled their advantage just before the half hour mark when Aaron Niyonkuru found himself one on one with Eisenhauer, with the Bears attacker placing a composed finish into the bottom right corner.
Olympic stayed in the contest and were rewarded seven minutes into the second half when Jed Hornery volleyed home Kane Treble’s cross at the back post to halve the deficit.
The hosts drew level with 22 minutes still to play when Ryan Griffiths got on the end of another brilliant Treble cross.
Both sides went in search of a winner and it was Weston who came closest, with Jarryd Sutherland’s 94th minute header hitting the bar with Eisenhauer beaten.
The point was enough for Olympic to remain fifth, while Weston missed the chance to close the gap remaining three points adrift in sixth.
Olympic will look to get back to winning ways next week when they take on struggling Valentine, while Weston host Charlestown Azzurri on Saturday evening.
EDGEWORTH FC 3-0 ADAMSTOWN ROSEBUD
Edgeworth strengthened their place in the top five with a comfortable 3-0 win over Adamstown Rosebud on Sunday.
Jake McGuinness gave the Eagles the lead in the 13th minute at Jack McLaughlan Oval after he tapped home following a deflected shot.
The reigning premiers and champions doubled their advantage five minutes later when Adamstown defender Joseph Licata turned a James Scott cross into his own goal.
Edegworth sealed the result seven minutes into the second half when Dylan Holz played a delightful through pass with the outside of his foot into the path of Scott, with Scott calmly finishing past Thomas Jenkin one on one.
The result saw Michael Bridges’ side climb to outright fourth with 15 points, while Adamstown remain ninth.
The Eagles will face a much tougher test against former coach Damian Zane and Broadmeadow Magic in the Match of the Round next weekend, while Adamstown will look to bounce back when they host Lake Macquarie City on Saturday.
CHARLESTOWN AZZURRI 0-6 LAMBTON JAFFAS
Lambton Jaffas are just one point behind leaders Maitland after thrashing Charlestown Azzurri 6-0 on Sunday.
Lambton went in front on 25 minutes at Lisle Carr Oval thanks to a fantastic Andrew Pawiak strike from distance.
The visitors doubled their advantage five minutes before half-time when Kale Bradbery rolled a sublime through pass for Luke Remington to tuck home.
It was 3-0 four minutes into the second half when Bren Hammel bent a cross to the back post for Scott Pettit to nod home.
The hosts were reduced to 10 men with more than half an hour still to play when Cal Bower was adjudged to have fouled Pettit with the Lambton attacker through on goal.
Tom Waller added a fourth goal shortly after following a Charlestown mix up at the back, with Bradbery adding a pair of well taken goals as Lambton flexed their muscle on the break.
The win saw Lambton climb to second, one point behind leaders Maitland. While Azzurri remain eighth with seven points, though Charlestown still have a game in hand.
Lambton will have the chance to reach the summit at the halfway point of the season as they host the Magpies in their round nine clash on Saturday, while Azzurri will be desperate to bounce back when they travel to Weston on Saturday evening.