Let’s check out the previews for Round 3 of the National Premier Leagues Northern NSW Women’s competition.
Match of the Round
Maitland FC v New Lambton FC @Cooks Square Park, Sunday 4pm
Maitland coach Keelan Hamilton is hopeful his team have taken the lessons out of their opening two defeats of the season as they prepare to host New Lambton in the match of the round on Sunday.
The Magpies pulled themselves level during the second half of their round one and two matches against Charlestown Azzurri and Newcastle Olympic, only for defensive lapses to see them concede late winners in both matches.
Maitland had chances with the score level in both matches and could easily be sitting on or near the top of the table. Instead, they are without a point from the opening fortnight of the campaign as they prepare to return home to Cooks Square Park for the first time this season.
But Hamilton believes those harsh lessons could help strengthen his squad in the long run.
“Losing those two games is really frustrating. I know the girls were really disappointed,” Hamilton said.
“But for the longer term vision of the football club and what we are aspiring to be, which is consistently competing near the top of the table, sometimes you need to go through a few of these moments to understand what it takes to be a team that consistently wins.
“There were some really good signs. We’ve played two of the better teams in the competition and for long periods of both games we were the better side.
“There are things we need to tidy up, especially defensively from a desire and decision-making perspective.
“But also in the final third. When we are controlling long periods of games we need to be more clinical.
“Those results have been disappointing but there are positive signs there. It will turn for us if we keep doing what we’re doing and tidy up those couple of areas.”
The visitors New Lambton have also lost their opening two matches, going down to Broadmeadow and Charlestown.
The Golden Eagles have recruited well under new coach Greg Lowe and Hamilton said New Lambton would be completely different than the team that ran last in 2022.
“I know a few of the players they’ve got there and they’ve got some really good players,” Hamilton said.
“They’re definitely much improved. You only have to look at their first two results. They gave a good account of themselves in both those games despite the score.
“We’ll do our analysis and be well prepared. We’re aware of what they can do but our main focus is on ourselves as it always is.
“It’s an important game in that we don’t want to be too far away from the top teams. From a bigger picture level it’s about controlling our emotions and trying to perform consistently at a high level.
“The first two weeks we’ve been at a high level for moments but haven’t maintained it and good sides punish you. We’re learning that. The main thing for me is to review and make sure our performances improve in the areas that have affected us over the first two weeks.
“I know we’re capable of playing at a high level and competing with the very best in the competition.”
Charlestown Azzurri v Warners Bay FC @ Lisle Carr Oval, Saturday 4pm
Charlestown Azzurri will look to continue their perfect start to the campaign when they host Warners Bay on Saturday.
Azzurri have scored impressive wins over Maitland and New Lambton to start the season and will look to maintain that run against the struggling Panthers.
Reigning premiers and champions Warners Bay have endured a deflating start. The Panthers will arrive at Lisle Carr Oval desperately trying to shore up their leaky defence after losing 16-0 and 8-1 to Newcastle Olympic and Adamstown Rosebud respectively in the opening fortnight.
Warners Bay saw almost its entire first grade squad leave to join rival clubs over the summer following its dominant 2022.
New Panthers coach Ryan Swinkels, who replaced 2022 NPLW Coach of the Year Craig Atkins, has given first grade opportunities to a number of young players who have come up through the club’s reserve and youth grades.
Charlestown coach Niko Papaspiropoulos will be looking for his side to maintain its strong start and continue its quest to put points on the board early in the season.
Emily Diaz has scored in both matches so far, with Azzurri enjoying a favourable run of early season fixtures. In the first five rounds, Charlestown play against teams who failed to make the finals last year as well as the decimated Panthers.
Adamstown Rosebud JFC v Broadmeadow Magic @ Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility, Saturday 7pm
Adamstown Rosebud and Broadmeadow Magic will put their 100 per cent records on the line on Saturday night.
Adamstown welcome Broadmeadow to the Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility having scored dominant 5-0 and 8-1 victories over Mid Coast and Warners Bay respectively.
But Ryan Campbell’s side will face its sternest test yet against a hungry Magic side.
Broadmeadow have opened their campaign with convincing 4-1 and 5-1 victories over New Lambton and Mid Coast.
After faltering late on last season after being decimated by injury and unavailability, Broadmeadow are hungry to chase the premiership and championship trophies.
Jake Curley has what he considers to be his strongest Broadmeadow squad since he arrived at the club at his disposal, with a promising blend of youth and experience.
2022 NPLW Player of the Year and Golden Boot winner Adriana Konjarski has also hit the ground running back in red, scoring six goals from the opening two matches.
Mid Coast FC v Newcastle Olympic @Taree Zone Field, Sunday 4pm
Mid Coast coach Emma Stanbury wants her side to work on its mental approach ahead of its game against Newcastle Olympic on Sunday.
Olympic, one of the competition heavyweights, travel to Taree looking to maintain its perfect start to the season after thrashing reigning premiers and champions Warners Bay 16-0 in round one before edging past Maitland 3-2 last weekend.
Middies went down 5-0 to Adamstown in the opening round and suffered a 5-1 loss to Broadmeadow in round two.
But both of those matches could easily have played out differently. Middies missed a penalty at 2-0 down against Rosebud and lost young star midfielder Marissa Masterantonio after 20 minutes following a head knock.
They then had former A-League Women’s player and player-coach Stanbury sent off just before half-time against Magic after she was adjudged to have denied an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.
Middies were only 2-0 down at that point and still found a way to score in the second half despite being down to 10 players and playing away from home against a team many consider to be title favourites.
Stanbury, who will miss out this week due to her one-match suspension, said she wanted to help her young squad improve its mental strength over the course of the season, starting with beaten 2022 grand finalists Olympic.
“I know they’ve got quite a good squad. [But] I said to the girls in the changeroom on the weekend we can beat any team we’re up against,” Stanbury said.
“But it’s up to the mental game which you can see is something holding us back each week.
“It will depend on whether we turn up wanting to win, have that positive energy and hold our heads up high. I keep saying it, I think we can take on anyone. But it’s just about learning to play at this level against some good players and some more experienced players.
“There’s a lot of positives to take so far. Our biggest thing is working in that middle and front thirds and maintaining possession. Obviously, when we got up there the girls weren’t completing passes and forcing passes when they weren’t needed. We were just a bit panicky.
“We’re a young squad. We’re learning through experience and that will come with time. Hopefully, the girls getting that goal [against Magic] down to 10 [players] shows they can score and compete against the big teams.
“The first round will be a learning curve for us. Each week we’re getting stronger and stronger. Hopefully, you’ll see the round two scorelines getting tighter and tighter and we really start challenging the top teams.”