Charlestown level late after Edgeworth lose sharp-shooter in NPL catch-up

The Eagles led 2-1 on Wednesday night thanks to goals from Feutz in the 17^th and 58^th minutes before he limped off in the 77^th. The brace took the mid-season Kiwi recruit to 14 goals in just eight NPL matches. He is joint second in the Golden Boot race, two behind Cooks Hill's Cody Nancarrow.

Azzurri struck with a close-range shot on the turn from Rene Ferguson in the eighth minute, then on 90 minutes with a header from Jack Gallagher off a nodded-on throw-in.

The result lifted Edgeworth to 33 points and broke a three-game losing run for fifth-placed Charlestown (29) after 17 matches each. Cooks Hill (25), Valentine, Maitland (24) and Weston (22) are behind Azzurri in the top-five race.

Edgeworth coach Peter McGuinness said Feutz and countryman Seth Clark were outstanding again for his side but there were concerns for the former. Feutz looks certain to miss the State Cup final against Lambton Jaffas on Saturday but McGuinness hoped he could be back for next Wednesday's catch-up with New Lambton.

"We fought hard in a physical contest and we just hope that a few are all right," McGuinness said.

"There's a few walking wounded. I definitely won't be putting out my best 11 players [on Saturday].

"We had a good chance just before the equaliser, but the shot was blocked. It was disappointing to concede late, but that's footy."

Azzurri coach James Pascoe hoped his side had "turned a bit of a corner now and we can push on" after a rain-marred few weeks.

"We've got a little bit of catching up to do physically but that was a good sign that we were able to stay with the pace of the game for the majority of it," Pascoe said.

"It was another performance that shows we aren't too far away if we can tidy up a few little bits, which we will with game time."

It was Gallagher's first goal for the club after stress fractures in his back wiped out the first half of his season. A recruit from the Central Coast this year, Gallagher came on at halftime for Ferguson, who had hamstring tightness but should be right for Charlestown's catch up at Weston on Sunday.

"We gave him a start last week but he's still carrying a little bit of condition that he needs to lose and to sharpen up a bit, but he's going to be bug handful when he's right," Pascoe said of Gallagher.

** In the NPL women's competition, Broadmeadow host Adamstown (8pm) and New Lambton are at home against Mid Coast (6.40pm) on Friday.