The Jets Youth put Hamilton to the test at Darling Street Oval, but they were still unable to take any points off the ladder leaders in a tight ‘Match of the Round’ on Sunday.
Match of the Round
Hamilton Olympic 1 (Spencer 22’) defeated Newcastle Jets Youth 0
Darling Street Oval
Sunday 31st July, 2.30pm
The win keeps Hamilton a point ahead of Edgeworth who have a match in hand against Valentine to play on Thursday.
The Jets started off with greater intensity than their opponents as Cameron Joice created a great chance inside the opening minutes when he got around Andrew Swan. Joice’s cross to Tom Waller at the back post was too heavy and the chance went begging for the visitors.
It was Olympic though who opened the scoring in the 22nd minute when Simon Mooney chipped a pass over the top of the Jets defence to Spencer who outmuscled Matt Richardson and rolled his left foot shot across Pierce Clark and into the bottom right corner.
Disaster struck for the home side less than five minutes later when keeper Danny Ireland rolled his ankle when going up to grab a ball. At first, Ireland looked as though he would continue but just a couple of minutes later he limped off the back of the ground looking dejected.
Valentine Phoenix 2 (Marpu 34’ Atkinson 90+3) defeated Broadmeadow Magic 1 (Bradbury 70’)
Johnston Park
Saturday 30th July, 3pm
Valentine Phoenix claimed yet another top four scalp in the upset of the season so far in the PlayStation® 4 NPL Northern NSW on Saturday. The Phoenix ended a six-year drought against Magic as they won their first match since 2010 against the Broadmeadow-based side.
Ridge Marpu opened the scoring for the home side, funnily enough playing at the home of West Wallsend at Johnston Park. It was a well-worked move from the free kick which was positioned in the middle of the field 20 metres out. Instead of taking the shot Reece Pettit passed to Ride Marpu on the right who hammered home a first-time right-foot shot into the left side of the net.
It took more than 40 minutes for Magic’s reply, but Kale Bradbury wouldn’t be denied as he headed through to run on and roll a right foot shot from just inside the eighteen past Valentine keeper Perry Budden to lock the match up at 1-1 in the 75th minute.
Corey Atkinson would be the hero for Valentine though deep in stoppage time when a Brenton Olzomer cross was flicked in by Atkinson inside the six-yard box for yet another late Phoenix victory in 2016.
Lambton Jaffas 2 (Bitz (OG) 42’, Wheelhouse 90’) defeated Adamstown Rosebud 1 (Hunter 26’)
Adamstown Oval
Sunday 31st July, 2.30pm
The Lambton Jaffas received a much-needed morale boost before their Westfield FFA Cup tie in a week and a half as a last minute goal from Jobe Wheelhouse continued their good away form in 2016. Lambton have lost just two away matches this season from the eight that they have played, and that continued on an entertaining afternoon in Adamstown.
Both sides created plenty of chances in both halves in a match where pride was on the line and it made for an exciting spectacle.
Adamstown opened the scoring through a lovely one-two played between Chris Berlin and Mitch Hunter as the latter put his left foot shot inside an onrushing Brad Swancott’s near post.
The Jaffas were back level just before the break when Pete McPherson’s flick on towards goal was taken by Rosebuds keeper Paul Bitz above his head and then fumbled as his arm bumped into the crossbar. The ball dropped out of his hands and over the line to lock up the scores once more.
Maitland Magpies 3 (Thompson 6’, Heffernan 30’, L.Thornton 51’) defeated Weston Workers Bears 2 (B.Thompson (OG) 69’, Morris (P) 89’)
Cooks Square Park
Sunday 31st July, 2.30pm
Maitland continued Weston’s dismal run in the 2016 NPL Northern NSW season with a 3-2 at Cooks Square park on Sunday. Goals from Matt Thompson, Dean Heffernan, and Liam Thornton were enough for the Magpies to win their second derby in succession as Weston came home strongly in the second half.
It took just six minutes for the home side to open the scoring through Thompson, driving a free kick from about 25 metres out into the top right corner of the net to make it 1-0.
The Bears task got a whole lot harder in the 26th minute when Michael Holt took down Ben Martin as the last man and was sent off, following a chipped ball over the top from Jye McKellar. Then just four minutes later Maitland doubled their advantage when Dean Heffernan volleyed a Ben Martin pass with his left into the top right corner for another spectacular goal in the match.
Maitland took a 2-0 lead into the break and extended their lead six minutes into the second when a free kick from Heffernan from the right edge of the field was curled with his left to the back post where Liam Thornton headed home for just his second goal of the season.
Edgeworth Eagles 2 (Moriyasu 29’ (P), Gardner 45’) defeated Charlestown City Blues 1 (Brackenbury 17’)
Lisle Carr Oval
Sunday 31st July, 2.30pm
Edgeworth coach Damian Zane praised his young first graders’ performance as Edgeworth’s depth shone through to end Charlestown’s finals hopes in 2016. He praised the performance of Aden Gardner and Daniel Minors who have stepped up to the plate in first grade this season.
“I said to Aden and Daniel before the game ‘this is where I believe you step up to become first-graders’ so you’ll need to step up.”
“I’m not talking about where clubs give guys a chance in first grade and then they are ‘first-graders.’ I’m a bit harsher than that. I’m talking about first graders that you can trust to do a job on a regular basis and they have done that.”
While Edgeworth went home with the three points it wasn’t all one-way traffic at Lisle Carr Oval. Charlestown opened the scoring when a corner from Ben Hughes was headed in at the near post by Kieren Brackenbury in the 17th minute.
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