Jacob Dowse double edges Broadmeadow ahead in NPL title race

Broadmeadow, who led unbeaten Charlestown on goals before the half-completed clash on Wednesday night at Magic Park, moved to 22 points in 10 games. Azzurri (19) have played nine.

Magic were up 1-0 in the round eight game, which halted on April 29 in the 46^th minute after an injury to Weston keeper Stuart Plant. The match resumed from that point and Broadmeadow were rewarded for their defence, scoring twice from turnovers.

Dowse scored one-on-one in the 63^rd minute after Bailey Wells won the ball and Damon Green played the decisive pass. Dowse showed strength and poise for his second in the 75^th after skipper Jeremy Wilson put him away with a through-ball.

Magic coach Damian Zane said it was a great effort, especially with defence across the park, to get the win without himself and players Jose Atayde, Tom Beecham, Will Ingram and Jarred Baker, who missed the game because of illness.

"We just need to keep winning and hope we stay on top," Zane said.

"There's so many games to be caught up and you can get lost thinking about all the rest, so we've just got to concentrate on ourselves."

At Adamstown Oval, Lambton Jaffas climbed to fourth and kept Rosebud on zero with a 2-1 win in another catch-up match.

The defending premiers went to 13 points in just six games with goals from Kale Bradbery and Mitch Rooke. James Virgili set up Bradbery for the opener in the 10^th minute after pouncing on a mishit clearance kick.

Adamstown levelled three minutes later when Zaik Luck knocked in a rebound after a blocked shot at close range. Rooke put Jaffas back in front on 20 minutes when climbing high to nod in Ben Hay's corner kick.

Coach Shane Pryce said Rosebud gave his side a scare and the Jaffas had a "lot of improvement to come".

"They did quite well, they pressured us and created a few opportunities," Pryce said.

"We created a lot of opportunities but didn't have the final product, which is probably consistent with not playing too much.

"We'll iron out a lot of our problems when we play more games. Hopefully we don't drop too many points while we're trying to get to where we need to be. I think that's the key."

The Newcastle Olympic v Valentine game at CB Complex set down for Wednesday night was again postponed.

Also Wednesday night, Cooks Hill scored a controversial stoppage-time goal to defeat second-tier New Lambton 2-1 and progress to the last eight in the NNSW division of the Australia Cup.

Riley McNaughton scored with a quickly taken free kick at the death, before New Lambton's defence was set.

The sides were locked 1-1 after Sam Marr scored for Cooks Hill early and Riley Taylor equalised just before the break. The victory at Fearnley Dawes Athletics Field means Cooks Hill return there on June 11 to face Coffs Coast Tigers.

The winner of that match plays the victor from the Olympic v Lake Macquarie game for a place in the round of 32 in the national knockout.

Cooks Hill coach David Tanchevski rested players, including Daniel Yaxley and strikers Josh Benson and Jamie Byrnes, with NPL matches against Maitland and Edgeworth in the next week.

"It was a pretty open game," Tanchevski said.

"We rested a few boys but New Lambton were up for it. It a grand final for those guys and they did well."

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