Newcastle Olympic have put the focus on finishing, and in particular getting past experienced shot-stopper Alison Logue, as they eye a seventh straight win when they host Broadmeadow at Darling Street Oval in round 14 of NPLW Northern NSW on Saturday.
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Olympic have surged into third place on 24 points with a six-match winning streak and can move within one point of second-placed Magic (28) with another three points this weekend.
But Olympic coach Paul DeVitis knows it will take a clinical performance against a team with the competition's best defensive record.
Broadmeadow have leaked only 14 goals in 12 performances, three less than leaders Warners Bay, who top the table with 31 points.
"You've got to take your chances," DeVitis said. "We've done a lot of shooting at training this week from different parts of the field. Close range, outside of the box, crosses - we've done a lot of finishing practice.
"We did talk about how their goalie is obviously the better one in the competition so we really need to try to take our chances.
"Defensively it's a big game because not many teams have scored more than two goals against Magic this year, so you've got to really try to keep a clean sheet if you want to beat them."
Both teams are without multiple key players.
Olympic are missing centre-back Sophie O'Brien (adductor injury), winger Georgia Amess (unavailable) and midfielder Jade McAtamney (COVID).
Goalkeeper Natalie Wiseman comes back into calculations after being sidelined with a shoulder injury but DeVitis is likely to stick with 17s shot-stopper Sienna Williams, who has been in goals for the duration of their winning streak.
Left-back Jannali Hunter (broken ankle), centre-back Kirstyn Antoni (COVID) and midfielder Nadja Squires (knee) are all out for Magic.
"Our backline is going to be a little bit different but we've still got Kalista [Hunter] and Alice [Munro]," Magic coach Jake Curley said.
"Bella [Carlisle] can play in the backline, Nina [Collins] can play in the backline. We're very good going forward and defensively we're still OK. It will just be a bit of a realignment in the backline.
"I think it will be a competitive game, as it is always is. They've got some good players and it will just be who finishes, as it always is in this league."
Magic won 3-1 when the two sides met in round seven but Olympic have since welcomed back Jets striker Jemma House, who has wasted little time in scoring 11 goals in six appearances with her return coinciding with their winning run.
The game kicks off at 3.40pm.
Seventh-placed Mid Coast (7) host fourth-placed Charlestown Azzurri (23) in Taree on Saturday (6pm).
On Sunday, New Lambton (0) are at home to Maitland (19) at Alder Park and Warners Bay battle Adamstown (11) at John Street Oval. Both games kick off at 3.40pm.
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