Jemma House hat-trick as Newcastle Olympic win to stay top of Herald Women's Premier League

It was the classy striker's fourth treble in seven Herald Women's Premier League appearances this season.

The win moved Olympic to 16 points and kept them top with a superior goal difference over Broadmeadow, who also rose to 16 points yesterday after beating Warners Bay 2-0 at John Street Oval.

The match was the first of a busy week for both sides. Olympic are set to play New Lambton in a rescheduled fixture on Wednesday night before facing unbeaten Merewether on Friday night.

Magic take on Thornton midweek then again on the weekend.

House scored twice to give Olympic a two-goal half-time advantage at Darling Street Oval. Brooke Summers made it 3-0 before House sealed the victory by firing the ball into the top right corner after Keely Gawthrop laid it to her from an indirect free kick.

Merewether improved to 14 points and third place with a 3-0 win over New Lambton at Arthur Edden Oval. United coach Scott Ellis described it as "a really positive" performance ahead of their round-nine clash with Olympic.

"This was the first game where at the end when I asked the girls, 'Do you think we're playing to our capability?', they said, 'It's not perfect but today we felt like things were working'," Ellis said post-match yesterday.

"I've been banging on about we haven't made it yet. Today was the first time where we've had a game where I'm feeling like we worked the way we're supposed to.

"The midfielders really stepped up. Katy Gray had a blinder and Jamee [Ellis], Katy and Tamara [Nash] had really good games there. We held much more of the ball so we did less chasing.

"Our backline was super solid. Finishing could've been better. But it's a really good lead-in to the Olympic game."

United led 1-0 at the break after Ellie Butler headed home a Jamee Ellis free kick inside the first 10 minutes.

Tamara Nash extended the lead early in the second half before Rhali Dobson broke into space on the left then slotted past advancing Eagles shot-stopper Ruby Jones into the far bottom corner in the 65th minute.

New Lambton coach Brad Jones again rued a failure to finish as the defending champions were left languishing in second-last position on four points as they prepare to face Olympic midweek followed by Magic next round.

"It's the story of our season," Jones said. "We're still creating good chances. [Merewether goalkeeper] Alison [Logue] made one brilliant save in the first half that I think if we played any other side we would've taken the lead.

"It's just the final third again. In the second half, I thought we contained them pretty well but they're brilliant at the counter attack ... I thought we deserved to get something out of that but we've got to finish."

Adamstown scored three goals in the final 20 minutes to secure an important 3-2 win over Thornton at Thornton Park. Ainsley Childs scored in the first half then Taleah Mountford around the 70-minute mark to have the Redbacks 2-0 up before Kiarra Lewis scored twice then Emma Bates sealed the win with a free kick five minutes from full-time.

The win moved Rosebud ahead of Mid Coast (9) and into fifth spot on 10 points, two adrift of the top four, and came after four straight losses.

"There was a bit of pressure," Adamstown coach Ryan Campbell said. "If we lost, our season was over from a finals point of view. So they ground one out, which is probably what we needed."

At John Street Oval, Kobie Ferguson scored for Magic in the first half then Maddie Dean in the second. The Panthers (12) slipped to fourth spot with the loss.

Round 8 results:

Newcastle Olympic 4 (Jemma House 3, Brooke Summers) beat Mid Coast 0 at Darling Street Oval. Half-time: Olympic led 2-0.

Merewether 3 (Ellie Butler, Tamara Nash, Rhali Dobson) defeated New Lambton 0 at Arthur Edden Oval. Half-time: United led 1-0.

Broadmeadow 2 (Kobie Ferguson, Maddie Dean) beat Warners Bay 0 at John Street Oval. Half-time: Magic led 1-0.

Adamstown 3 (Kiarra Lewis 2, Emma Bates) defeated Thornton 2 (Ainsley Childs, Taleah Mountford) at Thornton Park. Half-time: Thornton led 1-0.

Pointscore: Olympic 16, Broadmeadow 16, Merewether 14, Warners Bay 12, Adamstown 10, Mid Coast 9, New Lambton 4, Thornton 0.

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