Ruben Zadkovich will be hoping his side's performance writes the headlines this weekend and not his comments after the Broadmeadow boss’ controversial thoughts marred the post-script of a tense ANZAC Day tussle.
Match of the Round
Broadmeadow Magic v Maitland Magpies
2.30pm Sunday 7th May at Magic Park
Last Meeting: Round 18, 2016: Maitland 0 Broadmeadow 2 at Cooks Square Park.
Ladder: Broadmeadow 8th (9pts), Maitland 4th (13)
Last 3 Starts (most recent first):
Broadmeadow – Drew Rosebuds 0-0 (a), Drew Jaffas 1-1 (a), Lost Blues 0-1 (a)
Maitland – Won Roosters 1-0 (h), Won Bears 1-0 (h), Lost Phoenix 0-4 (h)
Bottom Line
Broadmeadow will be aiming to bounce back after a dour draw against the Rosebud’s where they struggled to create chances in the second 45. In the first half against Adamstown and the week before against Lambton, Ruben Zadkovich’s side created chances but were unable to finish.
While they have created chances, finishing has been an issue, with Magic scoring just once in their last three matches – a penalty against Lambton. Of their eight goals this season, just five have come from open play.
After a pair of disappointing results, Maitland has returned to form in the last week with two tight 1-0 wins against Weston and Lake Macquarie which has seen them squeeze their way into the top four.
Key: The front third. With the two lowest scoring sides this season meeting, which side can get their front third firing?
Valentine Phoenix v Hamilton Olympic
2.30pm Saturday 6th May at Cahill Oval
Last Meeting: Round 17, 2016: Hamilton 2 Valentine 2 at Darling Street Oval.
Ladder: Valentine 2nd (15), Hamilton 3rd (13)
Past 3 Starts (most recent first):
Valentine – Won Jets 1-0 (a), Won Magpies 4-0 (a), Won Rosebud 2-0 (a)
Hamilton – Won Bears 2-0 (h), Drew Eagles 1-1 (a), Won Magpies 2-0 (a)
Bottom Line
Hamilton coach Michael Bolch returns to his former stomping ground at Cahill Oval and will hold good memories of the ground having not lost there as an Olympic coach since 2011.
His side has returned to form in recent weeks, after a disappointing showing against Charlestown in round six, Olympic are undefeated in three matches and have surged into the top four.
They did it the hard way against Weston, with a gritty first-half display before coming home strong in the second half. As it was in 2016, defence has been the bedrock of their return to form. Hamilton has conceded just once in three matches and that was from the penalty spot.
Olympic has held the wood over the Phoenix of late, winning four of their last five. Valentine’s last victory over Hamilton doubled as Bolch’s last loss at Cahill Oval back in 2011.
However, the Phoenix are a different proposition this season, scoring an average of two goals a game and conceding just over one a game. It has been the last three matches where Valentine has been impregnable at the back, keeping three clean sheets in a row.
Key: Belief. Valentine lost their last two matches at Cahill Oval against Olympic 5-0 and 3-0. After a strong start to the season, do they have the belief to overcome a poor recent record?
Weston Workers Bears v Edgeworth Eagles
2.30pm Sunday 7th May at Rockwell Automation Park
Last Meeting: Round 11, 2016: Weston 0 Edgeworth 3 at Rockwell Automation Park.
Ladder: Edgeworth 5th (12), Weston 9th (4)
Past 3 Starts (most recent first):
Weston – Lost Olympic 0-2 (a), Lost Magpies 0-1 (a), Drew Jets 2-2 (a)
Edgeworth – Won Blues 2-0 (h), Won Jets 1-0 (a), Drew Olympic 1-1 (h)
Bottom Line
After a promising start to the season where they lost just one of their opening five matches, Weston have lost their last two and sit just two points from the bottom of the ladder.
A tight loss to an understrength Maitland side, followed by a strong performance against Hamilton only to be let down by two individual errors has left the Bears in a difficult spot as they get ready to host an Edgeworth side who has returned to form over the last two weeks.
Weston haven’t scored in two matches now, and facing the best defence in the competition won’t make it any easier for the Bears attack.
Kieran Sanders and Brody Taylor struck two stunning strikes on the weekend to get them home against the Blues, and couple that result with the win over the Jets and it seems the Eagles are returning to their 2016 form.
They have won their last three matches against Weston, and haven’t lost against the Bears since 2015 where a gritty and determined Weston side rolled up their sleeves and ground out a 1-0 victory at Rockwell Automation Park.
Key: Will a confidence boosting from the Westfield FFA Cup win on Wednesday spur the Bears to victory on Sunday?
Charlestown City Blues v Adamstown Rosebud
2.30pm Sunday 7th May at Lisle Carr Oval
Last Meeting: Round 13, 2016: Adamstown 1 Charlestown 3 at Adamstown Oval.
Ladder: Charlestown 7th (10), Adamstown 10th (3)
Past 3 Starts (most recent first):
Charlestown – Lost Eagles 0-2 (a), Lost Jaffas 1-2 (h), Won Olympic 2-1 (a)
Adamstown – Lost Jaffas 1-3 (h), Drew Magic 0-0 (h), Lost Roosters 1-2 (h)
Bottom Line
It’s been a long time between away matches for Adamstown, and this weekend they will hit the road for the first time in a month to travel to Charlestown to take on the Blues.
After hitting rock bottom, with the defeat to Lake Macquarie in round six Adamstown have responded well with improved performances against Broadmeadow and then at the weekend against Lambton.
Up against the ladder leading Jaffas many expected Lambton to get the job done easily on Sunday afternoon, but, it wasn’t to be with Chris Berlin bridging the deficit to just a goal in the second half and the Rosebuds as they clawed their way back.
Unfortunately for the Rosebud's they couldn’t find the equaliser and Joel Griffiths put them out of reach late on in stoppage time.
Key: With seven of 21 players from the start of the season gone, can Charlestown’s youngsters make the step up?
Lake Macquarie City Roosters v Newcastle Jets Youth
2.30pm Sunday 30th April at Macquarie Field
Last Meeting: Round 15, 2014: Lake Macquarie 2 Jets Youth 1 at Macquarie Field.
Ladder: Lake Macquarie 6th (11), Jets Youth 11th (2)
Last 3 Starts (most recent first):
Lakes – Lost Magpies 0-1 (a), Won Rosebud 2-1 (a), Lost Jaffas 0-4 (h)
Jets – Lost Phoenix 0-1 (a), Lost Eagles 0-1 (h), Drew Bears 2-2 (a)
Bottom Line
Both Lake Macquarie and the Jets Youth are coming off losses last weekend and are in need of a win, but for two very different reasons.
After an unbeaten start to the season, where the Roosters sat on top of the ladder they have now dropped two of their last three and have only managed to find the back of the net twice during the time.
Over the same time period, Lakes have dropped from first to sixth and a loss against the Jets Youth on Sunday afternoon could potentially see them drop to as low at eighth, with the top four getting out of their reach.
The Jets Youth, on the other hand, haven’t won in seven matches and sit bottom of the table – not a position the Youth side will want to sit in considering how the Newcastle Jets finished off the Hyundai A-League season.
Key: The Jets Youth have created chances over the past few weeks, and have had nothing to show for it. Can they take them on Sunday?
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