Match of the Round:
New Lambton FC v Warners Bay FC
Alder Park, Saturday 4pm
New Lambton FC coach Aaron Stedman says his side just wants to get back out on the pitch ahead of this weekend’s clash with Warners Bay FC.
The Golden Eagles will finally return home to Alder Park after a stop-start season that has seen them play five matches in eight rounds.
The side missed their round eight fixture after it was postponed due to wet weather conditions.
Stedman admitted the intermittent games have been a challenge for his side but looked forward to get back into it this weekend.
“We play one and then have one off at the moment,” Stedman said.
“It has been chaotic and frustrating.
“If you lose game fitness and lose consistency that is where some frustration kicks in for us.
“We are into the second round and we haven’t played nearly half of the teams.
“I think to be fair the girls just want to play football.”
New Lambton has had a tough start to their 2024 campaign after one win and four losses. They sit sixth on the table with three points but have three matches in hand which could see them catapult into the top four if they can secure some positive results.
The last time these two sides met, New Lambton returned from John Street Oval with a 6-2 win, which has been their only victory so far this season.
But Stedman said he knew this weekend’s clash would be a challenge and that they would need to improve in key areas if they were to get the job done against Warners Bay.
“We have played Warners Bay before and we learnt things that were valuable,” Stedman said.
“But we know we need to focus on ourselves as when you play teams a second time they will adapt to us and we will adapt to them.
“We need to focus on us and have a good performance to hopefully fingers crossed play well and get off to a good start.
“A big area of what we need to work on is mostly in our defence. We have had too many easy goals. At times when we have scored one or two goals we have been unable to stop ourselves from conceding at the other end and have not capitalised on when we are in front.
“We need to work on defence but also take our chances up front when we get them.”
The Panthers looked promising at the start of the season after one win and the ability to hit the back of the net and stay in the contest against teams.
But the wheels have started to fall off for Ryan Swinkels's side after they suffered a 10-0 defeat to Newcastle Olympic and a 2-0 loss to bottom-of-the-table side Mid Coast FC.
It will be crucial for Warners Bay to get their season back on track to help them claw their way up the table and keep in touch with the top teams.
New Lambton sits sixth on the table with three points but has played the least number of fixtures in the competition, with three matches in hand.
The Golden Eagles will be desperate to break their three-match losing streak and get their season back on track with a win this weekend.
A win for the Panthers can see them leapfrog New Lambton into sixth position on the table, which will add an extra incentive for both sides to secure the three points.
Maitland FC v Broadmeadow Magic
Cooks Square Park, Sunday 4pm
Broadmeadow Magic coach Nima Nikfarjam is expecting an entertaining battle at Cooks Square Park against Maitland FC on Sunday afternoon.
The top-of-the-table clash will be the third time the two sides have met in 2024 when the Magpies secured the three points in the inaugural HMRI Charity Shield before Magic got one back in round two with a 2-1 victory.
Magic sits at the top of the table with 16 points but has two matches in hand which could see them extend their lead further.
But with the Magpies just one point behind them, a win on Sunday is crucial for Nikfarjam’s side to sustain their league leader status.
Nikfarjam was excited about the top-quality match-up and encouraged the football community to come out and watch.
“I look forward to the game, it will be an entertaining game,” Nikfarjam said.
“For anyone who doesn’t have anything on, get themselves down to Cooks Square Park, it will be a top match.”
But Magic’s coach is not too concerned about where his side sits on the table and wanted a strong performance on Sunday against a challenging Maitland side.
“I am expecting another tough match. They (Maitland) are very well drilled and disciplined,” Nikfarjam said.
“We lost in the cup game at a time when we were still getting ready for the season and understanding my way of football. But as the season has progressed, we are more competitive.
“It’s too early to be too concerned about the table. It is good to be on top where everyone is trying to catch you, but for me, I start to look at that near the end of the season and focus now on consistency.
“Our aim is to remain undefeated, play good football and get the three points.”
The Magpies have flown up the table into second place after five wins on the trot. Charlestown Azzurri is two points behind and one point back from Magic which will add additional motivation to Keelan Hamilton’s side to get the job done at home.
Bronte Peel continues her rein in the golden boot race with 14 goals but the Magpies have shown that multiple players in the squad have the ability to hit the back of the net as they have scored 34 goals in six matches.
Peel along with fellow attackers Sophie Stapleford and Georgia Amess will hope to do some damage to Magic and claim a vital three points for their 2024 campaign.
Adamstown Rosebud JFC v Charlestown Azzurri
Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility, Saturday 7pm
Adamstown Rosebud JFC will hope to end Charlestown Azzurri’s winning streak when the two sides go head-to-head at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility.
The two sides had the weekend off last week after their round eight fixtures were postponed and will be eager to get back onto the pitch on Saturday night.
Rosebud has had a mixed start to the season after three wins and four losses but sit fifth on the table, three points behind Newcastle Olympic in fourth.
Coach Martin Slade has been impressed with his side’s resilience and ability to frustrate teams and will expect his side to perform the same again against a strong Azzurri outfit.
Azzurri has hit their strides and are full of confidence after three straight wins against Warners Bay (10-2), Olympic (2-0) and New Lambton (4-1).
The Blues' recent success has launched them into third position on the table, three points behind league leaders Broadmeadow Magic.
Heath Whyte’s newly assembled side has stood out in the competition, with their fierce and high-tempo style of play.
If results go their way, Azzurri could move up into second after this weekend’s fixtures, which will add extra motivation to Whyte’s young side.
Mid Coast FC v Newcastle Olympic
Taree Zone Field, Sunday 4pm
Mid Coast will hope to pull back-to-back wins when they host Newcastle Olympic at Taree Zone Field on Sunday afternoon.
The last time these two teams met in round two, Olympic secured a dominant 12-0 victory over Mid Coast.
Middies will enter this weekend’s clash with some new-found confidence after they upset Warners Bay FC last weekend with a 2-0 victory that saw them secure their first points of the season after a tough start to their 2024 campaign.
Coach Amanda Langlar believed that the victory was just a glimpse of what her side had to give to the competition.
But Mid Coast will have a tough challenge ahead of them to stop Olympic’s threats in attack which include Jemma House and Marion Dunbabin.
Newcastle Olympic will also look to build on momentum after they snapped a two-match losing streak with a 10-0 win over Warners Bay in round seven.
Olympic coach Craig Atkins will hope his side is refreshed after their round eight fixture against Adamstown was postponed due to wet weather conditions.
The side sits fourth on the table with twelve points and will be desperate to secure a win and move their way back up into the top spot.
