Declan Payne

Magic back in the winner’s circle, Charlestown falter

An early John Majurovski goal helped Magic to its first win since their round one demolition job on Lakes and put Broadmeadow within touching distance of the top four. 

The challenge for them now is trying to build some good form across the next two weeks before they play the bye in round eight.

Adamstown next weekend look a more difficult task than they did before Saturday, and they’ll need to have the ruthless edge against Rosebud that Lambton didn’t have this week. 

Charlestown couldn’t quite manage five wins in a row, but won’t be too dismayed as they manage to hang on to their lead at the top of the ladder – albeit one trimmed to three points. 

It’s the first game which the league leaders have failed to score in, and while they’ve more than got the players to step in to cover the loss of Kane Goodchild they will need to step up to the plate next weekend against Weston.

 

Lambton lose two points, Adamstown pinch one

Almost everyone had this fixture pencilled in as a routine Lambton victory, given Adamstown’s woes of late and the ease with which Jaffas have dispensed with sides similar over the last eighteen months. 

Instead, Lambton were somehow held to a draw by an Adamstown side which desperately needed a point. 

They created enough chances to win three matches though, so while the result will be of some concern it won’t be because of any huge issue but instead perhaps a bad day. 

For the visitors on Saturday, they went ahead early and managed to hold onto that single goal all game and take only their second point of the season. 

It’s the improvement which Adamstown were showing signs of before slipping to big defeats against Maitland and Lakes – they’ll need to keep on the up against Magic this weekend.

 

Edgeworth power through, Weston let the lead slip

After a slow start to the season, Edgeworth were prepared for a tough slog against a Weston side which defended resolutely in its last match against Broadmeadow. 

They managed to pinch three goals from set piece deliveries and another from open play to put four through Weston – the most goals they’ve scored this round 21 last season. 

It’s helped the Eagles roar into second place, just three points off Charlestown in first place, and even though it’s early days it looks like the Eagles are going to be in the mix come season’s end. 

Weston slipped to their third defeat from five attempts against Edgeworth, but won’t be disappointed with a performance which was let down by three set pieces. 

They’ll need to find a similar defensive compactness to what they’ve shown against Magic and now Edgeworth next weekend – they take on league leaders Charlestown.

 

Hamilton slide down the ladder, Jets Youth head in the other

direction

It’s now seven mid-evening kick offs in a row which Hamilton haven’t managed to get a win in and failure in their latest venture on Saturday night has seen them slip two spots down the ladder into ninth. 

It’s early days and Olympic are only three points from the top four, but with only two points between them, Valentine and Adamstown at the bottom they’ll be hoping to get going sooner rather than later. 

The sooner they get experienced players such as Stuart Musalik and Jacob Bailey (who are out with injury) back into the side the faster Hamilton might make their way up the ladder. 

2016 was the last time Jets Youth had a real crack at the NPL, and it’s only early days but things are looking up for the youngsters - the win against Hamilton takes them to sixth on the ladder, equal on points with fourth. 

Cai Tipaldo and Jack Simmons linked up well on Saturday, and if they can continue to develop that partnership then the pair may continue to trouble NPL defences throughout the season.

 

Lakes demolish rivals, Valentine need a boost

They came into the Lake Mac derby off the back of a 4-0 win over Adamstown, but no-one could have anticipated the manner in which Lakes would blow their rivals away. 

The win has moved Lakes up to sixth, and with two wins from their first five matches their early season form now looks on the up and is looking more like their positive form at the beginning of 2017. 

What will encourage Nick Webb further is that all the right players got firing at the weekend – Sam Walker got two and Paul Sichalwe picked up his second and third goals of the season. 

Two points against two tough teams two weeks running would have had Valentine encouraged of getting a good result on Sunday afternoon, but they couldn’t recover from a three goal deficit at half-time. 

Zac Sneddon made his return from injury with 45 minutes off the bench, which Phoenix will hope he can build upon ahead of next weekend’s big test at home to Lambton.