NPL: Riley Smith enjoying Magic touch for clash with former club

But win or lose against his former club on Sunday in the preliminary final at Magic Park, the 23-year-old is "stoked" with his choice.

Smith has bagged 20 goals this year - second only to Maitland's Braedyn Crowley (28) - in the NPL as Magic have set the league alight with their high-octane attack. He led Charlestown's scorers with eight and 13 goals in the two previous seasons.

Smith has linked with several former Emerging Jets teammates at Magic and their bond has been easy to see this season.

"It certainly wasn't an easy move, I had to weigh it up for quite a while," Smith said of leaving Azzurri.

"But in the end I'm stoked with the decision. It's turned out really well.

"Initially it was just to have a season with [coach] Damian Zane, before he got the Jets Youth gig, but I've been stoked with the coaches I've ended up with anyway.

"It was just for something new really, and to play with a few old teammates and play this style of football as well. It's extremely enjoyable.

"The whole season has been good, especially the second half, everything is just coming together. It's a testament to the players I have around me."

Smith went goalless in a 3-1 loss to Azzurri first time around but Magic have since beaten them 2-0, then 4-2 in the qualifying final. He missed the 2-0 win due to suspension but scored the clincher two weeks ago.

"Now we've got them again and I'm just as keen," he said.

"I love playing them. There's no bad blood or hard feelings between us. It's just always a great bit of fun out there playing them."

Smith, who is studying medical and mechanical engineering at university, scored and set up Magic's other goal in a 4-2 loss to Lambton Jaffas on Saturday and he was confident they could bounce back in another grand final qualifier.

"I think we still had a really good game but just a couple of things don't go your way, and Jaffas took their chances. They were elite in front of goal," he said.

"i don't think we were too disappointed with how we played, it was just a couple of lapses in concentration. But we just looked to keep doing the same thing. Just working."

Charlestown import Miguel Angel Fernandez Herrera was organising his flight back home after confirmation a knee injury had ended his season.

The Spaniard went down in the sixth minute of the 1-0 victory over Weston on Sunday at Lisle Carr Oval when Connor Evans won the ball off him at an attempted short corner. He hurt his right knee in the challenge and tried to play on but succumbed to the injury in the 11^th minute.

Coach James Pascoe feared on Sunday that the attacker's year was over and it was later confirmed with a diagnosis of a grade two medial ligament strain.

Azzurri could also lose Jacob Melling to a left elbow injury. It was believed he had ligament damage on Sunday but he was awaiting results of scans on Tuesday.

"We will know more then, but he's not in a good way with pain and elbow function," Pascoe said.

The former A-League player, who came on for Fernandez Herrera, fell awkwardly in a tangle with Aaron Niyonkuru in the sixth minute of first-half stoppage time.

He played through to the 72^nd minute in obvious discomfort and did not contest headers.

Azzurri also have Jethro Elkington still suspended. He will be available for the decider if Charlestown progress.

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