Let's check out the preview for Round 9 of NPL NNSW Women's action.
Match of the Round - Newcastle Olympic v Maitland FC
Darling Street Oval, Sunday 12pm
Maitland coach Keelan Hamilton hopes the return of Sophie Stapleford from Newcastle Jets commitments will help spark his side when they take on Newcastle Olympic on Sunday.
It has been a difficult fortnight for the Magpies. After winning four matches in a row and closing to within touching distance of the competition lead, back to back defeats to Adamstown and Charlestown have seen them slip outside the top four.
Maitland will be out to avoid a third straight defeat at Darling Street but the challenge will be a difficult one with Olympic, who have a match in hand, top of the table following an unbeaten start to the campaign.
Stapleford’s inclusion is a huge boost for Maitland, with the dynamic 29-year-old attacker to bring plenty to a Magpies team that has struggled to win close games so far this season.
Maitland have lost four of its opening eight games all by a single goal. But those four defeats share the common theme that the Magpies had the chance to win or draw them all, only to fail to take their chances in key moments.
While Stapleford was chronically underused on the pitch at the struggling Jets as they limped to a 10th-placed finished one point off the bottom, Hamilton said she has returned to Maitland a far better player having been involved in a professional environment for an entire A-League Women’s season.
“Sophie will start and will play. She’s an important player for us as captain along with Tahlia [Gossner]. We’ve missed them both for a lot of weeks now so we’re excited to get Sophie back,” Hamilton said.
“I think she has come back an even better player. The experience for her was only ever going to make her a better player. I think the big change I’ve seen is she’s an even more determined player to want to perform at a high level all the time.
“I think that’s part of what comes from being in that pro environment. That challenge to perform at a high level is there and something she has brought back to training in our group which is a huge positive.”
While Stapleford’s return is an immense positive for Maitland there is also other good news on the horizon. Attacker Bronte Peel was to return from the US on Friday though was unlikely to be ready to play Olympic on Sunday, while Gossner is close to a return from a serious ankle injury.
The centre back has been cleared to play but, having been out for six weeks, may have to build some minutes in reserve grade or from the bench before being thrown into first grade.
Despite having conceded the third fewest goals in the competition, Hamilton believed the lack of continuity in Maitland’s defence had been a key issue so far this season.
Hamilton has not selected the same back four and goalkeeper in consecutive matches this season, using eight different players in his defence and three goalkeepers across eight rounds.
“We’ve been pretty unlucky in terms of absences. Sawyer [Hall] went back to the US for family reasons, we’ve lost key players and haven’t had a stable central defensive partnership,” Hamilton said.
“We made big mistakes against Adamstown in a match I thought we played ok, particularly the first half we just didn’t take our chances. But I was disappointed with last week [against Charlestown]. Unfortunately again we made avoidable errors that led to goals. I thought Charlestown were the better team and we pushed them late on but I never felt we had any rhythm.
“I don’t think [the lack of continuity] led to the errors but you definitely want the spine of your team to be stable. Unfortunately we haven’t really been able to have that stability through injuries and absences. Having said that we’ve got enough good players to win those games we’ve lost.
“We’re close but it’s fine margins in such a tight competition. As a group we need to find a way to win these tight games. Even last year we lost close games in the final minutes. Unfortunately it has happened a few times and we’re working really hard to change that.
“[But our league position] and results across the competition so far probably shows how close the competition actually is which is a really good thing.”
Keely Gawthrop will miss the opportunity to face her former club with the Magpies midfielder still absent following the knee injury she suffered in the loss to Adamstown.
Olympic coach Neil Owens has no such issues with a full squad to choose from. The league leaders also have the added bonus of being able to add Newcastle Jets goalkeeper Clare Coelho to their side this weekend.
“We’re just rolling along collecting points really. We’re very happy. My biggest problem is giving everyone game time,” Owens said.
“I keep rotating the squad to give minutes to everyone every week which is good because you’ve got some girls playing in different positions. It’s a challenge for the girls I guess which is good. Because we’re winning and there’s no injuries and everyone is in form it’s hard as a coach to keep everyone happy.
“We just got home when we played [Maitland in round two]. [But] we only played two pre-season games then we beat Warners Bay 16-0 in round one before we played Maitland. So I think we’ve come a long way since then. We’re fitter and more in form and more connected as a team. We’re definitely a much different and better side from when we played them [in round two].
“I watched a little bit of their last two games. They didn’t look on the ball, a bit wobbly. Them coming to Darling Street they know they’re going to be in for a game. But I expect a team like Maitland to come ready to rumble.
“To be fair to them, it’s hard to play Adamstown on a Sunday night on that artificial pitch in the pouring rain. They got beat by Azzurri last week in a close game. They’re probably not too far off the pace. They’ll probably make some changes but I expect them to come ready to play. As long as we settle down quickly and put the pressure on them we’ll be fine.”
Owens has a full squad to choose from except for central defender Alesha Clifford, who returns from an overseas holiday next week.
Adamstown Rosebud JFC v Warners Bay FC
Adamstown Oval, Sunday 2.30pm
Adamstown Rosebud will look to consolidate their place in the top four when they host Warners Bay on Sunday.
Rosebud climbed into the top four last weekend following back-to-back wins over Maitland and Mid Coast.
Ryan Campbell’s side now have the chance to strengthen their position on the table against the struggling Panthers.
Warners Bay have conceded a whopping 97 goals in the first eight matches of their premiership and championship defence, including a 10-0 drubbing at the hands of Newcastle Olympic last weekend.
Rosebud will have Leia Puxty available following her Newcastle Jets commitments.
Adamstown ran out 8-1 winners when the sides met in round two thanks to doubles from Charli O’Connor and Eva Donnelly.
Mid Coast FC v Broadmeadow Magic
Taree Zone Field, Sunday 4pm
Broadmeadow will sniff an opportunity to claim the competition lead when they take on Mid Coast on Sunday.
Magic make the trip to Taree only behind leaders Newcastle Olympic on goal difference. Olympic host a strong Maitland side who will be hungry to bounce back following back-to-back defeats on Sunday.
A win for Broadmeadow could see them climb to the summit alone. Magic have won their last three games in a row including their 2-1 victory over New Lambton last weekend thanks to Lucy Jerram’s early double.
Mid Coast have endured a disappointing last three weeks. They were hammered 10-0 by Maitland before New Lambton edged them out 2-0. They then led Adamstown at half-time last week before a host of late goals saw the score blow out to a 7-1 defeat.
Broadmeadow won the round two fixture between the sides 5-1 thanks to four goals from Adriana Konjarski.
Charlestown Azzurri v New Lambton FC
Lisle Carr Oval, Sunday 4pm
New Lambton will have national league trio Cassidy Davis, Lauren Allen and Tara Andrews available for selection when they face Charlestown Azzurri on Sunday.
Davis, Allen and Andrews were forced to wait 30 days from the completion of their Newcastle Jets commitments before being eligible to play in the NPL Women’s NNSW competition.
The Golden Eagles are in sixth place, six points outside the top four with a game in hand. While they have been excellent defensively conceding just 11 goals in seven matches, the second fewest in the division, they have struggled to score goals notching just nine so far.
But New Lambton coach Greg Lowe will hope the addition of his star trio will go a long way to improving his side’s attacking output.
Charlestown ended a two-game losing streak in downing Maitland 2-1 last week, having fallen from the top of the table.
But the win put Azzurri back on track, with Niko Papaspiropoulos’ side just one point behind leaders Newcastle Olympic.
Azzurri won the round two encounter 3-0 thanks to second half goals from Lilly-Jane Babic, Sarah Halvorsen and Emily Diaz.