The Match of the Round of PlayStation®4 NPL Northern NSW saw Weston Workers take on Valentine as both teams looked to push away from the bottom of the table.
Match of the Round
Weston Workers FC 1 defeated by Valentine FC 2
Rockwell Automation Park
Sunday, May 8, 2.30pm
The first half of the match was a tale of two defences and went goalless for both sides.
A chip almost beat Valentine’s keeper early in the match as both sides pushed to create chances for an early goal, but neither side could capitalise.
Alex Burrell was the first to score in the match, netting a goal for the away side twelve minutes into the second half.
A late goal for Brenton Olzomer came off a floated cross from Paul McGinley that Olzomer managed to head into the corner of the goal, beating Jed Hoarder at close range to double their lead.
It wasn’t over yet, with injury time bringing a penalty call – Chris Brown’s tackle in the box saw Nathan Morris step up to take the kick for the home team and the chance gave him a goal to his name as well as breaking the three round drought for Weston.
It was a too little too late for the Bears however, with the one goal difference leaving them without any points in the round and with Valentine departing with all three.
Edgeworth FC 2 defeated by Hamilton Olympic FC 3
Jack McLaughlan Oval
Friday, May 6, 7.15pm
The first match of the weekend was one of the biggest of the season – Hamilton Olympic travelled to Jack McLaughlan Oval to play against Edgeworth on Old Boys’ night.
Both sides looked up to the challenge, with each side eager to get to the top spot.
It was Hamilton that found the first advantage, with Daniel Bird finishing one of Olympic’s movements before five minutes, putting the travelling side in the lead.
The Eagle’s Keigo Moriyasu, their Japanese signing of the season, was the player to find the equalising goal, putting Edgeworth back into the fight and keeping the scoreline level.
It was a late first half goal that dampened Edgeworth’s spirits in the shed during half time, with Kane Goodchild taking full advantage of a turn-over in Edgeworth’s backline to put Olympic up over the defending champions after forty-five minutes.
Ayden Brice contributed to the next goal for Edgeworth in the early stages of the second half, delivering a ball to Bren Hammel who put them level once more with Hamilton.
However it wasn’t to be a victory for Edgeworth with a goal from Hamilton’s Tommy Spencer 10 minutes later and with their goalkeeper, Danny Ireland, being able to pull off two crucial saves later in the match to keep the lead.
Lambton Jaffas FC 1 defeated by Charlestown City Blues FC 3
Arthur Edden Oval
Saturday, May 7, 2.30pm
Charlestown travelled to Arthur Edden Oval in the second Saturday afternoon match, where their contest against the Jaffas would be the first of their ‘top-table’ challenges for their strong season.
The Blues looked more than up to the challenge of collecting three more points for their campaign as the first half ended 2-0 in their favour.
Both Scott Smith and Ben Hughes scored for Charlestown, with Hughes’ goal coming from the dot as a penalty call went against the home side.
Lambton looked ready to fight back with Joel Wood scoring for the Jaffas and lighting a fire under the home team, but it wasn’t to be.
Rene Ferguson continued to carry his good form into the match late on, with a scuffle at the back leading him to find the back of the net with the third goal sealing the three points for Charlestown.
Three wins and two draws have put Charlestown right into the mix at the top of the table. They now come up against the Weston Workers Bears at home for another chance at three more points.
Lambton will be travelling to Cooks Square Park to play against Maitland next weekend.
Newcastle Jets Youth 1 defeated by Broadmeadow Magic FC 4
Magic Park
Saturday, May 7, 2:30pm
Magic Park hosted the first Sunday afternoon game of Round 5, with the Newcastle Jets Youth taking on Broadmeadow Magic.
Magic were eager to score goals in the match, with three points securing them at least second place on the ladder and it was James Virgili that got the scoring off to a start after Kale Bradbery’s strike was spilled by the Jets’ keeper and Virgili was there to pounce.
Just after half an hour, Bradbery made up for his earlier miss sending the ball past the keeper from a close range angle that doubled the lead for Magic.
Half time saw Broadmeadow leading 2-0, but the Jets struck back six minutes into the second half, bringing them back in the game.
However Dino Fajkovic’s header just past the hour mark made sure that the Jets’ return looked less likely in the match and for good measure ten minutes later he claimed his brace with a lob from the corner of the box that put Magic on four goals.
Adamstown Rosebuds FC 1 defeated by Maitland FC 6
Adamstown Oval
Sunday, May 8, 2.30pm
The final game of the weekend was played at Adamstown Oval, where Maitland travelled to take on Adamstown Rosebud on Sunday afternoon.
The Rosebud had been troubled with injuries, suspensions and problems in front of goals in recent weeks, but the problems looked set to disappear as Thom Lino opened the scoring in the match just four minutes in.
However problems loomed large once again for Adamstown eight minutes later, with their keeper Paul Bitz being sent off with a red card and a penalty called for Maitland.
With Hakan Canli off and Jake Hamilton on, the young keeper faced down Blake Thompson, but Thompson was able to convert the penalty and level the scores for the travelling side.
The next half an hour kept the scoreline level, even with the Rosebud’s player deficit, but a Matt Comerford header just before half time sent the home team into the sheds trailing by both a goal and a man.
Comerford scored another goal six minutes into the second half from a free kick that opened the floodgates for the away side to take advantage of their numerical advantage and just seven minutes after that Jye McKellar took the lead to three goals.
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