PS4 NPL NNSW Review: Round 13

Lambton and Hamilton slipped further away from the top spot of PlayStation® 4 NPL Northern NSW after playing out a stalemate in the Round 13 Match of the Round.

Lambton Jaffas FC 0 drew Hamilton Olympic FC 0
Sat 11 July 2:30 PM
Arthur Edden Oval
Match of the Round

Both sides entered the match with near full strength squads, however neither could find the back of the net as both defences and goalkeepers stole the show for the full 90 minutes. The opening half an hour was quite slow as both sides attempted to work the other out.

The first significant chance of the match came on the half hour mark as Simon Mooney broke free for a one-on-one with Brad Swancott, however his shot struck the post.

The sides went into the break locked at 0-0, and despite both creating a number of chances in the second half that is the way it stayed at full time.

 

Weston Workers FC 2 def. Newcastle Jets Youth 1
Sat 11 July 2:30 PM
Rockwell Automation Park

The second match on Saturday afternoon took place at Rockwell Automation Park as the Jets Youth travelled to challenge Weston.

The Bears entered the clash in fourth spot, and a win ultimately would help their cause as the two sides above them were playing against one another in the Match of the Round.

Weston were boosted as they were playing at home on Old Boys Day, or as the Bears call it,  ‘Olde Bears Day’, with their 1995 Premiership winning team watching on from the sideline.

The Bears were also looking to prove a point after their Round 12 capitulation against Lambton, which saw them squander a 3-0 half time lead and lose 4-3.

 

South Cardiff FC 0 def. by Charlestown City Blues FC 2
Sun 12 July 2:30 PM
Ulinga Oval

South Cardiff hosted the Charlestown City Blues yesterday afternoon in a match so important for both sides’ 2016 PS4 NPL hopes, members of both clubs labeled in ‘their own grand final’ during the week.

The Gunners sat last on five points going into Round 13, and the Blues were only four points ahead on nine.

17 year old Daniel Minors took it upon himself to make a mark on the game in just the eighth minute as he fired the Blues into the lead with a cracking strike into the top left hand corner.

There was a great atmosphere at Ulinga Oval as it was Old Boys Day, however the Blues were on top of South Cardiff, and went 2-0 up in the 40th minute as Minors produced a pin point cross for Rene Ferguson who buried the shot.

 

Maitland FC 0 def. by Edgeworth FC 2
Sun 12 July 2:30 PM
Cook Square Park

Edgeworth extended their lead at the top of the PS4 NPL ladder with a 2-0 win over Maitland in the second of three crucial Sunday afternoon match ups.

The Eagles were aware of the opportunity that presented itself after Lambton and Hamilton played out a stalemate the day before, which meant a win would see Edgeworth move four points clear of the second placed Olympic.

They entered the match without three key defenders in Bray Smith, Josh Evans and Pat Wheeler, so potentially could have been extremely vulnerable at the back.

The first half was a close affair. Edgeworth were on top for the opening 25 minutes, however momentum swung and Maitland got back in the game in the final 20 minutes of the first stanza.

The sides went into the halftime break locked at 0-0, with Maitland a huge chance of picking up the three points with the wind behind them in the second half.

 

Adamstown Rosebud FC 1 def. by Broadmeadow Magic FC 4
Sun 12 July 2:30 PM
Adamstown Oval

In the final match of Round 13 Broadmeadow took a giant leap towards rejoining the top four with a late blitz seeing them finish as 4-1 winners against Rosebud.

Magic entered the game without John Griffiths through suspension after Luke Virgili’s red card, for a foul actually committed by Griffiths, against Maitland was overturned.

Magic’s Dino Fajkovic opened the scoring in the 23rd minute through a one-on-one strike after running onto a Kale Bradbury through ball, however the Buds made the score 1-1 in the 43rd minute through Nick Bale, and the sides went into the halftime break at one apiece.

Both sides fought hard to get in front early in the second half, however each side’s defence was standing strong.

That was until Peter Haynes scored Magic’s second in the 75th minute, with a brilliantly curled free kick into the bottom right hand corner.

 

Click here for a full rundown of all of the weekend's matches.