The Lambton Jaffas travel to Jack McLaughlan Oval this weekend to meet Edgeworth in the Match of the Round of PlayStation® 4 NPL Northern NSW.
Match of The Round
Edgeworth Eagles v Lambton Jaffas
Sunday, June 12, 2:45pm
Jack McLaughlan Oval
Last Meeting: Lambton 1 Edgeworth 2 at Arthur Edden Oval April 9, 2016 (Round 1)
Ladder: Edgeworth 2nd (19pts) Lambton 6th (8)
Past 3 Starts (Most Recent First):
Edgeworth – Won Magpies (a) 3-1, Won Blues (h) 6-1, Won Phoenix (a) 4-1
Lambton – Drew Jets (h) 1-1, Won Rosebud (h) 3-0, Drew Magpies (a) 0-0
Bottom Line
The Jaffas will be keen to erase the disappointment of their opening round loss to the Eagles where they conceded two goals in the final ten minutes to go down 2-1 after skipper John Majurovski put the Jaffas in front.
Recent statistics are against the Jaffas when they take on the Eagles, the Lambton based club have only taken home the three points once in their last five clashes against Edgeworth. Incredibly the last four clashes between the sides have been won by a score of 2-1 and Edgeworth have won the last three.
Key: Lambton’s defence has been miserly this season and if they can keep Edgeworth quiet, they could spring an upset.
Jets Youth v Weston Workers Bears
Saturday, June 11, 2:30pm
Rockwell Automation Park
Last Meeting: Weston 3 Jets 3 at Rockwell Automation Park, April 10, 2016 (Round 1)
Ladder: Jets 8th (5) Weston 10th (2)
Past 3 Starts (Most Recent First):
Jets Youth – Drew Jaffas (a) 1-1, Lost Olympic (h) 5-0, Won Rosebud (a) 3-0
Weston – Lost Rosebud (a) 2-1, Lost Maitland (h) 3-0, Lost Blues (a) 1-0
Bottom Line
The Weston Bears will be looking to climb off the bottom of the PlayStation® 4 NPL ladder when they meet the Jets Youth at Rockwell Automation Park this weekend. The two sides met this season back in round one, where a see-sawing contest finished in a 3-all draw. In that match Garry McDermott scored a hat-trick but since that day the goals have dried up rapidly. They have managed just two goals in the seven matches since.
The last six matches between the sides have been split three ways, Weston winning two, the Jets two with two draws as well. Weston though have only lost one of their past 5 matches against the Jets, on a very rainy weekend last season where they went down 1-0.
Key: The Jets have been held scoreless just once this season, so it’s hard to see them not scoring here. If Weston’s front third can fire as it did in round one, this one could go down to the wire.
Valentine Phoenix v Charlestown City Blues
Saturday, June 11, 2:30pm
Blacksmiths Oval
Last Meeting: Charlestown 2 Valentine 2 at Lisle Carr Oval, April 10, 2016 (Round 1)
Ladder: Valentine 9th (5) Charlestown 5th (14)
Past 3 Starts (Most Recent First):
Valentine – Lost Olympic (h) 5-0, Drew Magic (a) 3-3, Lost Eagles (h) 4-0
Charlestown – Lost Magic (h) 4-2, Lost Eagles (a) 6-1, Won Bears (h) 1-0
Bottom Line
A lot has changed since Charlestown and Valentine last met back in round 1, with Charlestown skyrocketing into the top half of the ladder and Valentine dropping towards the basement.
The first contest between these two sides this year was an even encounter, much the opposite of the previous four matches both sides played against one another. Charlestown had one those four by a combined score of 18-4 and Valentine will be aiming to break a five game winless streak dating back to 2012 against the Blues.
For the home side, it has been hard to gauge their improvement over the season to date. Their last three matches have been against competition heavyweights in Edgeworth, Broadmeadow and Hamilton and this weekend serves as a good barometer as to how far both these sides have come since round one.
Key: Which Charlestown and Valentine sides will turn up? Both have had their hot and cold spells throughout the season and whoever wants it more on Saturday will get the result.
Adamstown Rosebud v Broadmeadow Magic
Sunday, June 12, 2:30pm
Adamstown Oval
Last Meeting: Broadmeadow 7 Adamstown 2 at Magic Park, April 10, 2016 (Round 1)
Ladder: Broadmeadow 4th (15) Adamstown 7th (6)
Past 3 Starts (Most Recent First):
Adamstown – Won Bears (h) 2-1, Lost Jaffas (a) 5-0, Lost Jets (h) 3-0
Broadmeadow – Won Blues (a) 4-2, Drew Phoenix (h) 3-3, Lost Olympic (a) 3-1
Bottom Line
After their round one thumping at the hand of Broadmeadow, round ten couldn’t have come soon enough for Graham Law’s men. The Rosebud’s will be looking to erase memories of their 7-2 loss at Magic Park when they return home to Adamstown Oval on Sunday.
In fact, Adamstown will be looking to do more than just erase that loss. The Rosebud’s have not beaten Broadmeadow since they were promoted at the end of 2013. From five matches since Adamstown’s promotion, Magic have taken home 15 points out of a possible 15.
In their last match, against Weston, Adamstown won their second match of the season and jumped from 9th to 7th on the ladder. With a few men back from injury and suspension in recent weeks including Dan Yaxley and Scott Carter, the Rosebud could spring a few surprises in the last half of the season.
Key: The opening half. 11 of Broadmeadow’s last 15 goals have come in opening half. If Adamstown can keep them quiet early and stay in the contest, Broadmeadow could be in for another tough match
Hamilton Olympic v Maitland Magpies
Sunday, June 12, 2:30pm
Darling Street Oval
Last Meeting: Maitland 0 Hamilton 0 at Cooks Square Park, April 10, 2016 (Round 1)
Ladder: Hamilton 1st (22) Maitland 3rd (15)
Past 3 Starts (Most Recent First):
Hamilton – Won Phoenix (a) 5-0, Won Jets (h) 5-0, Won Magic (h), 3-1
Maitland – Lost Eagles (h) 3-1, Won Bears (a) 3-0, Drew Jaffas (h) 0-0
Bottom Line
Hamilton will be aiming to get their first win over Maitland at home since they were promoted at the end of 2014 when the Magpies travel to Darling Street Oval on Sunday.
In the three matches these two sides have played since Maitland were promoted, there has been one draw, in round one this year, a win for Maitland in a boil over in the final round last season and a win for Hamilton when they travelled to Cooks Square Park last season.
Hamilton have been almost unstoppable this season, defeating every team so far they have played, except the Magpies. In doing so they have conceded only just four goals, an incredible statistic that should not be underestimated.
As we approach the halfway mark of the season, looking back at past Minor Premiers’ defences over 18 rounds gives an indication of just how miserly Olympics’ defence has been.
Key: Matt Comerford and Ryan Clarke. If Maitland’s two speedsters can find an opening in Hamilton’s watertight defence, Maitland will believe they have the defence to win it.
CLICK HERE for a full preview of Round 10.