New Lambton FC 5-1 Charlestown Azzurri FC
New Lambton have kept their slim hopes of finals alive, defeating Azzurri 5-1 on Sunday afternoon.
The Golden Eagles proved too strong for Azzurri, cementing an important win for the side.
Four goals in the first half secured the three points for New Lambton in what co-captain Cass Davis labelled a ‘must win’ for her side.
Davis was at the centre of success for the Golden Eagles, pulling the strings from her midfield position in both attack and defence.
The co-captain got the momentum moving in New Lambton’s favour, opening the scoring in the 12th minute with a great breakthrough run past Azzurri’s defensive line, slicing the ball into the bottom left-hand corner.
Ameera Makunja scored twice in a row for New Lambton within less than five minutes. Makunja smashed the ball into the top corner in the 38th minute before running onto a perfectly placed through ball from Tara Andrews to hit the back of the net for a second time in the 41st minute.
Andrews was able to put her own name on the scoresheet shortly after, heading the ball past Azzurri goalkeeper Ally Boertje.
Azzurri were unable to respond at all in the first half, heading into the sheds 4-0 down at half-time.
It looked as if the tides were changing early in the second half when Azzurri’s attacker Emily Diaz netted her 22nd goal of the 2023 competition to bring the scoreline back to 4-1 in the 54th minute.
But New Lambton put the nail in the coffin for Azzurri, thanks to an excellent strike outside the penalty box from substitute Serena Carter in the 73rd minute.
Despite having multiple chances, Azurri were unable to claw their way back into the match.
Charlestown were given the opportunity to decrease their margin of defeat when they were awarded a penalty in the 91st minute.
But luck continued to go against them as Evie Horgan was unable to convert the penalty, hitting her shot straight at the New Lambton’s goalkeeper Boertje.
Despite suffering their third loss in a row, Azzurri remains fourth on the table with New Lambton sitting in fifth now only six points behind.
Azzurri will be desperate to turn things around and strengthen their form as finals football is quickly looming.
While it is not impossible for New Lambton to push for finals, but it will be an incredibly difficult challenge with the side. Not only will they need their own results to go their way, but they will need other sides in the competition to stop Azzurri from picking up points.
Both sides will get a break from the competition this weekend, as all teams in the NPL Women’s competitions will compete at the Women’s State Cup this weekend.
Broadmeadow Magic FC 4-0 Mid Coast FC
Broadmeadow reclaim their spot at the top of the table after defeating Mid Coast 4-0 at Magic Park on Saturday afternoon.
Despite being without captain Kalista Hunter and midfielder Kobie Ferguson, Jake Curley’s side were still able to get the job done against Middies.
Three first-half goals secured the victory for Magic came out firing, scoring two of those goals in the first ten minutes.
Jacinta Thornton opened the scoring for Magic in the fifth minute, tapping in a cross from Lucy Jerram.
Jennifer Reeves extended Magic’s lead just four minutes later, striking the ball into the top of the net.
Jerram was able to put her name on the scoresheet, breaking through Mid Coast’s defensive line, to drill the ball past goalkeeper Caitlin Horwood and into the top left-hand corner in the 21st minute.
Magic was boosted when star striker Adriana Konjarski was substituted onto the pitch, returning to the side after several weeks away overseas.
The competition’s leading goal-scorer did not disappoint, sealing the win for her side with a perfectly struck long-range free kick in the 77th minute. Konjarski has now scored 28 goals in the competition this season.
Mid Coast were unable to respond, despite coming off the back of a big win against Adamstown last weekend. But Emma Stanbury’s side will be pleased with the improvement from the last time they met Magic in Round Nine, going down 15-0.
The win allowed Magic to leapfrog Newcastle Olympic back to the top spot after Olympic had a 1-1 draw with Maitland. Curley’s side now sits two points clear in first on the table and will be eager to extend their lead when they take on Adamstown Rosebud in Round 17.
Warners Bay FC 0-8 Adamstown Rosebud JFC
Adamstown were able to turn things around, claiming an 8-0 victory against Warners Bay on Sunday afternoon.
Warners Bay started the match positively, holding Adamstown out for the first 38 minutes of the match.
But Rosebud broke through, with Tanya Jones cutting the ball back for Mia Owens to smash into the top of the net.
Rosebud were able to extend their lead on the stroke of half-time after they were awarded a penalty from a handball in the penalty box. Jones stepped up and calmly converted the penalty, with her side heading into the sheds 2-0 up.
The second half started no better for Warners Bay with Dana Neaves scoring an own goal in the 47th minute.
The momentum continued in Rosebud’s favour, with Ryan Campell’s side not satisfied with a 3-0 lead.
Jones scored her second of the match, tapping the ball into the bottom corner of the net in the 58th minute.
Leia Puxty, put her name on the scoresheet, slicing the ball past Warners Bay goalkeeper Georgia Cooksey.
Adamstown kept their foot on the accelerator, with Courtney Anderson scoring a double in seven minutes.
Anderson slid through at the back post to slot the ball to the back of the net in the 75th minute before beating her defenders and Cooksey to slot her second goal in the 82nd minute.
Substitute Lara Turner put the cheery on top for Rosebud, scoring the side’s eighth goal of the afternoon in the 84th minute.
This is Rosebud’s first win in six matches, and they sit sixth on the table.
Maitland FC 1-1 Newcastle Olympic FC
Olympic were able to claw their way back from behind to snap Maitland’s seven-game winning streak to share the points in a 0-0 draw on Sunday.
The Magpies were able to knock Olympic off the top of the table but did not do enough to take their spot, remaining in third on the table.
It was an even match-up between both, but the Magpies were first to pounce, with Lucy Kell opening the scoring in the 32nd minute.
Mercedes McNabb thought she had done enough herself to score, racing down the left of the field and smashing the ball across to the right corner of the net. But it hit the post, leaving Kell to clean up the scraps and get the ball over the line for her side.
The Magpies held the 1-0 lead up until the 62nd minute when Olympic were able to respond thanks to a wonder strike from Elodie Dagg.
Dagg struck a wonderful volley from outside the 18-yard box that will undoubtedly be in contention for goal of the year. The equaliser allowed Olympic to get stay in the game and leave Cooks Square Park with one point.
Olympic’s goalkeeper Claire Coelho was ruled out on Sunday due to sickness but is expected to return next week.
Broadmeadow Magic were able to get the win against Mid Coast, meaning that they jumped above Olympic, who now trail the league-leaders by 2 points.