Broadmeadow Magic grind out derby draw with Olympic to stay clear at top of NPL

With Bailey Wells, Jarred Baker and Jose Atayde out with illness and others struggling, Magic also had suspended defender Jordan Jackson missing for the round 13 clash. Broadmeadow, though, led in the second minute when Damon Green got a lunging boot on a ball back in from Keanu Moore following a corner.

Olympic levelled in the 27^th minute with a quality finish from Kent Harrison, who shot on the turn from the top of the 18-yard box into the bottom corner of goal.

Both sides had chances to win in a open affair played in windblown and bumpy conditions but the score remained unchanged.

Magic coach Damian Zane was pleased to limp away with a point given the sickness in his squad, which finished off Weston 3-0 midweek after beating Lake Macquarie 5-0 last Sunday.

"They possibly shaded us with chances, but there wasn't a hell of a lot in it," Zane said. "At the end we're looking at guys who are just hanging on, so I said in the sheds it was a point gained rather than two lost.

"Under pretty tough circumstances this week we've come away with seven from nine points. And Olympic are a team who have been looking decent of late."

Olympic have 12 points in 10 games, while Broadmeadow went to 23 from 11, one point ahead of Charlestown (10 matches), who stayed undefeated with a 6-1 first-half demolition of Lake Macquarie at Lisle Carr Oval.

Jacob Melling scored with a penalty in the third minute and Harry Frendo made it 2-0 in the 22^nd with a header off Dean Pettit's corner.

Tapuwanashe Goora pulled one back for Lakes but the hosts responded with Frendo laying off for Pettit to score in the 30^th minute and Riley Smith dinking the keeper in the 33^rd after a ball from Melling. In the 45^th, Melling scored another penalty before Smith made it 6-1 in first-half stoppage time, and that's how it stayed.

At Jack McLaughan Oval, Adamstown earned their first point of the season, drawing with Edgeworth 1-all.

Rosebud scored in the 23^rd minute when Zaik Luck pounced on a poor touch in defence. Edgeworth levelled in the 90^th minute through Josh Rose. The Eagles have 10 points in eight games.

On Saturday, Cooks Hill pushed Maitland late in a 5-4 loss at Cooks Square Park.

The Magpies, who went to 20 points in nine games, led 5-1 after 72 minutes before the visitors got within a goal in the 84^th then went close three times to an equaliser.

James Thompson bagged a hat-trick, including a 47^th minute penalty after a handball from Jon Griffiths, before Braedyn Crowley (51st) made it 4-0. Cooks Hill's Bailey Newton scored from the spot in the 54^th before Crowley struck again in the 72^nd.

Josh Benson (77th) converted a penalty before Griffiths (80th) scored at a goalmouth scramble and Nick Russell (84th) made it 5-4 with a deflected strike.

Also Saturday, Lambton Jaffas and Weston drew 1-1.

At Edden Oval, Kale Bradbery cannoned a long-range shot into the roof of goals in the 39^th minute before Moustafa Mohammad equalised for Weston in the 56^th with a header.

MORE IN SPORT:

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: