The first Match of the Round of the season sees Hamilton Olympic travel to Cooks Square Park to take on Maitland as both teams look to kick start their season with three points.
Match of the Round
Maitland FC v Hamilton Olympic FC
Sunday, April 10, 2.30pm
Cooks Square Park
Hamilton’s appearance in the Grand Final after a 3rd place finish has pushed them to achieve a higher result this season and coach Michael Bolch knows nothing but a victory in their first away game of the year can be a positive result.
Maitland have proven that they are a team that Hamilton has struggled with however and although Maitland eventually only finished 8th place in the prior season, the final fixture of the year saw them sink Hamilton’s second place ambitions with a 2-0 victory at Darling Street Oval.
Olympic will also be under pressure from Maitland’s loyal fans, as the Magpie faithful are expected to give Hamilton the cold reception that so often comes hand in hand with away days at Cooks Square Park.
Lambton Jaffas v Edgeworth FC
Saturday, April 9, 2.30pm
Arthur Edden Oval
The opening game of the season kicks off the afternoon before the Match of the Round, as Arthur Edden Oval plays host to the opening battle between the Lambton Jaffas and defending champions Edgeworth.
The resignation of long-term coach David Tanchevski for the Jaffas means eyes will be turned towards the first match of former Newcastle Jets assistant coach James Pascoe, who will test his skills in the PlayStation 4 NPL against the most recent champion coach in the league – Damian Zane.
Pascoe boasts a strong squad to challenge Zane and his defending champions however, with a side that includes new star signing, former Newcastle Jets striker, Joel Wood, he will be looking to bring fire to Lambton’s already strong attack.
Weston Workers FC v Newcastle Jets Youth
Sunday, April 10, 2.30pm
Rockwell Automation Park
Weston Workers will welcome the Newcastle Jets Youth to Rockwell Automation Park for their opening match of the season, as both teams look to improve on their finishing places last season.
Missing out on finals football and a shot at the Grand Final victory by just three points last season, Weston will be keen to take a victory early and get their season’s campaign off to a strong start in 2016.
The Newcastle Jets Youth will be looking for a victory as well, with only five victories in eighteen games last season meaning that they struggled to break away from the mid-table battle that ensued in the late part of the year.
The travelling side claimed a victory over Weston last season when they travelled to Rockwell Automation Park, with a goal from Tom Waller securing the Jets Youth’s win, but their latest clash saw Weston take revenge in a 2-1 victory with a brace from Paul Clout that the Jets failed to answer in kind.
Broadmeadow Magic FC v Adamstown Rosebuds FC
Sunday, April 10, 2.30pm
Magic Park
Four points was all that separated the Adamstown Rosebuds and Broadmeadow Magic last season and their opening battle of the season will see if either side’s fortunes have changed.
Magic will be a tough opponent to knock down and the home team will not give up three points so easily, with their game last season at Adamstown Park seeing Broadmeadow take the win with four goals to Adamstown’s answering one.
Dino Fajkovic was the star of that match with a brace to sink the home side and with Fajkovic netting eleven times all season in 2015 – three of which came against the Rosebuds – Broadmeadow will be looking to him again to make his mark on the game.
Charlestown City Blues FC v Valentine FC
Sunday, April 10, 2.30pm
Lisle Carr Oval
The final match of the afternoon is to be played at Lisle Carr Oval, where Charlestown City will take on the newly promoted Valentine, a side that is helmed by new coach Darren Sills and looking to achieve in the top league.
Charlestown themselves avoided the drop by only four points at the end of last season and will be keen to stay away from being relegated that they were almost caught in, in 2015..
A win could put them in good stead to climb the ladder and stay clear of the danger, but Valentine are not a club to be taken lightly.
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