Charlestown Azzurri roll past Adamstown to stretch early NPL lead

Azzurri moved to 15 points from five rounds, going five clear of Weston, who added to the woes of defending premiers Maitland with a 1-0 win at Cooks Square Park on Saturday night. It left the Magpies on three points from four games.

On Sunday, Jacob Melling put a penalty wide in the 25th minute after Azzurri were given the chance because a push in the back on Harry Frendo.

Rosebud kept Charlestown at bay until the 76^th minute when Spaniard Miguel Fernandez produced a nice left-foot finish after Melling and Rene Ferguson combined to put him in space.

Taylor Regan made it 2-0 in the 85^th minute with a strike after a corner. Regan got the initial header before Ferguson's shot was blocked into the path of the former Jets defender.

Charlestown coach James Pascoe said his side took time to come to grips with the "fluffy" and rain-affected surface but Rosebud "were good value too".

"Adamstown deserve credit because they were compact and moved the ball quite well, so we knew it would be competitive in the second half as well but I think for the majority of it, we looked pretty comfortable," Pascoe said.

"We're pretty happy and the next two games are at home as well, so it's been a good start to the year without ever having our full complement available.

"I still think there's more to come once we get a few bodies in better condition. We're not getting ahead of ourselves. We know we've got some really hard games coming up, but all you can do is beat what's in front of you."

The other match on Sunday - Edgeworth against Lake Macquarie at Macquarie Field - was postponed.

Weston downed Maitland via a 61st-minute penalty from Japanese livewire Yuta Konagaya, who won a foul from Tom Davies with clever work in the box.

Earlier on Saturday, Newcastle Olympic came back from 2-1 down to beat Cooks Hill 3-2 at Fearnley Dawes Athletics Field and New Lambton drew 2-2 with Valentine at Darling Street Oval.

On Friday night, a 10-man Lambton Jaffas beat Broadmeadow 3-1 at Magic Park.

Bailey Wells put Magic ahead with a stunning strike in the 42^nd minute and Josh Piddington equalised with a header in the 45^th.

Jaffas striker Kale Bradbery was judged to have fouled Jarred Baker, leading to a penalty in the 71^st minute. Ben Kennedy saved Baker's penalty before Bradbery copped a second booking when celebrating in the referee's face. Finn Todhunter (80^th minute) and Riley McNaughton (87th) then scored to give the Jaffas victory.

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