Match of the Round:
New Lambton FC v Charlestown Azzurri FC
Alder Park, Sunday 4pm
New Lambton’s season will be on the line when they host Charlestown Azzurri at Alder Park on Sunday afternoon.
New Lambton sit fifth on the table, nine points behind their opponents Azzurri in fourth, with their chances of making finals becoming slimmer each week.
Co-captain Cass Davis acknowledged the disappointment of her side not being able to get the job done against Broadmeadow Magic last weekend, going down 4-2.
“I think the weekend was quite disappointing,” Davis said.
“We were able to score some goals which was promising but the goals we conceded hurt us.”
Davis is knows of the importance of getting a result this weekend and that her side will need the other teams in the competition to help them in their final's pursuit.
“We know this weekend is a must win,” Davis said.
“This is a do or die match for us. Pretty much like a grand final.
“It is becoming very difficult for us to make finals but still possible.”
“Looking at the table and who they have to play, we need some other teams to beat Charlestown to help us.”
Despite defeating Azzurri 3-0 last time the two sides met, New Lambton are aware of the threat they can pose. Greg Lowe’s squad know the areas they need to improve on in order to snatch three points from Sunday’s match.
“They are a good team. It is going to be a really tough game,” Davis said.
“We always focus on ourselves, but you do want to look at a team’s strengths and weaknesses and see how you can take advantage of that.”
“We have to score goals.”
“We need to take accountability as individuals and as a team to be stronger and more disciplined.”
“If we make sure that we can play the best we can as a team the results will come.”
Azzurri’s coach Niko Papaspiropoulos is desperate for his side to turn things around against New Lambton after only picking up one point in their last three matches.
The experience within the New Lambton’s squad is on Azzurri’s radar but Papaspiropoulos hopes that his side will be able to shut those players out of the match.
“Everyone knows the ability of the players coming from the Jets,” Papaspiropoulos said.
“As in any game you want to eliminate any threats and not give good players the chance to hurt you.
“We need to make sure that we don’t give the other team a chance to get in the goal area.”
Charlestown are sitting comfortably in fourth position on the table, but the three points will put them back in the race for the top spot.
“The focus needs to stay on ourselves and make sure that we play the game we want to control and be consistent for the 90 minutes,” Papaspiropoulos said.
“We need to be positive and aggressive,”
“It’s vital we really make the good patches of football count.”
“At the end of the day if we can play to our strengths and play our game we can hurt the opposition.”
Broadmeadow Magic FC v Mid Coast FC
Magic Park, Saturday 4pm
Broadmeadow’s sights will be set on reclaiming their spot at the top of the table when they take on Mid Coast at Magic Park on Saturday.
Despite picking up three points last weekend, Magic’s position as league-leaders came to an end after Newcastle Olympic overtook them on goal difference.
Magic’s squad will look a little different compared to last week, with some key players moving in and out of the squad. The side will be without captain Kalista Hunter and midfielder Kobie Ferguson due to suspensions. But Magic will receive a massive boost with leading goal scorer Adriana Konjarski returning to the side from travelling overseas.
Mid Coast player/coach Emma Stanbury was thrilled with her team’s 2-0 defeat over Adamstown Rosebud last weekend, just the side’s third win of the season.
“I am very proud of the girls,” Stanbury said.
“To some people that might seem like just another win but for us it was a massive result.
“We showed a lot of growth.”
Stanbury is hopeful that her side can take the same mentality from the match against Rosebud into this weekend against a tough opposition.
“I am hoping that the girls can go into the game on the weekend with the confidence and belief that they can get a result against any team,” Stanbury said.
“Magic are one of the top sides.
“We need to shut them down and not let them have any time on the ball.”
Middies will be without goalkeeper turned goal scorer Grace Davies this weekend as she is away, but the rest of the line-up will remain the same. Stanbury doesn't want to change a winning squad, including striker Jorja Holborow.
“We have tested Jorja up top and I have never in my career seen a girl hit the ball that hard before,” Stanbury said.
“Hopefully if we can get her a bit of entertainment up top, I back her 99% of the time to hit the back of the net.”
“I don’t want to change a winning team.”
Warners Bay FC v Adamstown Rosebud JFC
John Street Oval, Sunday 4pm
Both teams will be hoping to turn things around when Warners Bay host Adamstown Rosebud at John Street Oval.
Rosebud started the season brightly but have picked just one point from the last six matches, going down 2-0 to Mid Coast last weekend.
Ryan Campbell’s side have not won a match since they met Warners Bay back in Round Nine, winning 7-0 and will need to channel that winning energy when they meet again on Sunday.
Three points from this weekend will allow Rosebud to leapfrog New Lambton to fifth on the table, but it will be nearly impossible to catch Charlestown Azzurri in fourth on 28 points.
Adamstown will be without Tara Cousins, who is suspended for one week after receiving a second yellow card in the match against Mid Coast.
Warners Bay continues to search for a point this season, remaining at the foot of the table in what has been a season to forget. Ryan Swinkles’ side suffered one of their worst defeats of the season last weekend, going down 17-0 to Newcastle Olympic.
Maitland FC v Newcastle Olympic FC
Cooks Square Park, Sunday 4pm
Maitland will look to swoop to the top of the table when they host Newcastle Olympic at Cooks Square Park on Sunday.
The Magpies are third on the table, only two points behind league-leaders Olympic and Broadmeadow Magic, with the winner able to sit at the top at the end of this weekend.
The Magpies will be without defender Madison Gallegos, who received a one-week suspension for an accumulation of yellow cards. But the squad will see the return of Lisa Cochrane from suspension.
Coach Keelan Hamilton is extremely pleased with last week’s 3-1 win against Charlestown Azzurri and how his side are travelling this season but does not want the squad to get ahead of themselves.
“I thought we had really good performers across the park,” Hamilton said.
“It wasn’t down to individuals; it was a collective effort.
“We have been consistent with our performances, but we aren’t getting ahead of ourselves.”
Olympic will be hoping to snap the Magpies' seven-game winning streak to remain at the top of the table.
Neil Owen’s side became league-leaders last weekend after thrashing Warners Bay 17-0. But their position at the top is in danger, only separated with Broadmeadow Magic by goal difference and two points above Maitland.
Olympic have continued to produce results this season, displaying both attacking and defensive threats that trouble teams.
Although relatively safe within the top four of the competition, three points will be vital for both teams to finish as high on the table as possible before finals football.