NPL: Newcastle Olympic take point as mid-table battle intensifies

Olympic eliminated hosts Cooks Hill from the Australia Cup 1-0 on Wednesday night with a late goal from Griffiths and he played another crucial role at Darling Street Oval on Sunday in round 12 of the NPL.

Cooks Hill went ahead in the 20^th minute when Brock Beveridge knocked in a cross from Campbell Ross. Olympic levelled eight minutes later when Griffiths made no mistake with his second chance after his initial shot was blocked by Sam Esquilant. The keeper, though, fumbled the save and it spilled to Nathan Toby, who played the ball back to Griffiths.

The result took Olympic up a spot to seventh on 14 points in nine games in what is shaping as a tight battle for the last one or two places in the top-five finals. Cooks Hill stayed ninth, on nine points.

"I think it was a very even game, it was just crying out for someone to take their chances," Olympic coach Paul DeVitis said.

"Both teams probably had two or three they could have scored the winner with. Obviously being a home game, we're disappointed not to keep the winning run going, but playing the same team twice in a few days, it's very difficult tactically.

"At the end of the day you've got to take the point because in this tough comp any point could be very valuable."

Also on Sunday, third-placed Charlestown (24 points) overcame New Lambton 1-0 at Alder Park with a goal from Cameron Joice in the 64^th minute. Luke Callen found Joice with a ball into the box and the former Joeys striker controlled it before striking his first goal for Azzurri. The result left New Lambton in 10^th on four points.

At Weston, Kiwis Seth Clark and Ryan Feutz starred as Edgeworth (17) won 2-0, rising to fourth with a fifth victory on the trot. Flynn Goodman scored in the 16^th minute with a header off a ball from Clark before the former New Zealand under-23s player also set up Feutz in the 82^nd. Clark's shot was blocked but fell to Feutz for the tap in. Feutz, who joined the Eagles this week and scored a hat-trick in the 4-3 cup win over Valentine, had another goal disallowed. Weston (13) dropped to eighth.

On a rainy Saturday, Maitland beat Valentine 4-2 at CB Complex thanks to doubles from James Thompson and Braedyn Crowley. The Magpies, now sixth on 14 points, led 4-0 after 58 minutes.

Valentine recruit Zac Waddell, who joined from Sydney club Northern Tigers in last week's window, struck with two classy finishes to give the hosts hope with 10 minutes left. Ryan Clarke and visa player Aden Raftery were other additions and both featured in the loss, which was a fourth straight for Valentine (5^th, 16pts).

Lambton Jaffas (33) kept their title defence perfect with a 4-0 win over Lake Macquarie (3) at Edden Oval. Japanese recruit Yuhei Sato debuted for Jaffas after joining them in the window. Jimmy Oates, Matt Buettner and Kale Bradbery scored. The other was an own goal.

Second-placed Broadmeadow (27) trounced bottom side Rosebud (2) at Adamstown Oval 8-2 with first-half doubles from Bailey Wells and Jarred Baker.

Jayden Stewardson, Will Ingram, Riley Smith and Dom Brymora also scored for Magic.