It was a mixed bag of results for our Youth teams over the weekend as our Men picked up a vital three points in a top of the table clash, while our Women started their season in disappointing fashion.
The Men took down Hawkesbury City with a close 2-1 victory away from home, while our Women also played away, and were shut out by Sydney Uni, going down 2-0.
Football NSW Reporters Jack George and Nikola Pozder review our matches:
Hawkesbury City 1 – 2 Newcastle Jets
Newcastle Jets have defeated Hawkesbury City to remain one of the only two unbeaten sides this season in a top of the table clash.
Chances were even in the first half, but it was the Jets who opened the scoring just prior to halftime.
Lachlan West converted clinically after Hawkesbury failed to deal with a looping header towards the back post to give the away side the advantage going into the second half in coach Daniel McBreen’s last match in charge.
However, Hawkesbury equaliser through Harry Drew who finished after the Jets struggled to deal with a bouncing ball.
Both sides had chances to find the lead, with Drew and Marco Turpeinen going close for Hawkesbury, and Janni Rafty hitting the bar for the Jets.
However, it was Newcastle took the lead through Adam Zervas, who made a great dribbling run from halfway on an attacking transition.
Hawkesbury City coach Dean Bertenshaw descried the match as a “great fast game of football with both teams pressing hard – neither team took a back step.”
He believed a draw was a fair result for the match, while adding that “at least we gave everything in attack and didn’t sit back and part the bus!”
By Football NSW League 3 Men’s Reporter, Jack George
Sydney University 2-0 Newcastle Jets
Sydney University opened their 2022 campaign in the best possible fashion with a hard fought two-goal victory over the Emerging Jets.
The home team could not open the scoring in the first period as the Jets held firm to go into the sheds locked at 0-0.
It took just over 10 minutes for Uni to hit the front in the second half. Holly Caspers broke through and placed the ball into the back of the net comfortably for the home team to take the lead.
With 15 minutes left on the clock, Uni secured the points. A corner was not dealt with by the Jets defence as Holly Duncan blasted home a loose ball on the six-yard line.
Uni coach Emily Husband would have been pleased to get the season off to a winning start after a difficult pre-season.
By NPL NSW Women’s Chief Writer and Commentator Nikola Pozder
Elsewhere, it was a difficult day for our Girls as all grades tasted defeat, however our Boys fired against Northbridge Bulls, collecting several victories across the board.
See below for the full results: