Ryan Feutz proves up to challenge for Edgeworth; Belswans seal promotion

That mighty task now looks well within his grasp after a hat-trick against New Lambton in a 3-0 win on Wednesday night at Jack McLaughlan Oval put the 23-year-old top of the goalscoring list.

Feutz has 17 goals in nine matches - averaging one every 45 minutes of game time - to lead Cooks Hills' Cody Nancarrow (16). Bailey Wells (Broadmeadow), Kale Bradbery (Jaffas) and Braedyn Crowley (Maitland) are on 14. Wells and Nancarrow have two regular-season games left, while the other contenders have three.

McGuinness said there had been interest from interstate NPL clubs in Feutz and countryman Seth Clark, who have lit up the league and pushed their claims for opportunities at a higher level.

"When Ryan came out here, I said your challenge is to win the Golden Boot, starting from round eight or nine, and that will make a statement and let people now," McGuinness said.

"Seth is a different situation. He's scored nine goals but assisted many, and is just an all-round game-changer."

Third-placed Edgeworth rose to 36 points, clear of Olympic (30) and Azzurri (29) in the race for a top-three spot behind Broadmeadow (48) and Jaffas (46). New Lambton are 10^th on 14.

"I think for where we are in terms of workload, we played well," McGuinness said. "We certainly created a lot of chances and left quite a few goals out there, but we came through unscathed, which is the main thing."

Feutz scored from the spot in the ninth minute after goalkeeper Ryan Fuller fouled Joe Melmeth. Fuller stopped the first penalty, but the Eagles were granted a retake and Feutz cconverted. He scored again in the 34^th with half-volley finish off brilliant lead-up play then in the 54^th with shot on the turn.

Belmont Swansea secured promotion to the 2025 NPL on Wednesday night courtesy of Kahibah's 4-1 home win over West Wallsend in Northern League One.

West Wallsend were the only club with a mathematical chance of catching leaders Belswans, who have 50 points from 21 games and three remaining.

West Wallsend remained on 32 points, now with five games to play. Kahibah moved to second spot on 35 points with four matches remaining.

Daniel Byrne scored twice for Kahibah against the Bluebells, who lost goalscorer Spencer Clarke to a straight red card in the 12th minute for high contact.

Belswans become the first club to go up since the return of results-based promotion-relegation. Valentine were promoted and South Cardiff relegated at the end of 2015 before the system was stopped.

It returns this year in a new format in which last in the NPL are relegated and second-last face play-offs with second, third and fourth in NL1 for another spot in the top division.

Belswans, who have Old Boys' day on Saturday at Blacksmiths Oval against Wallsend, were last in the top NNSWF division in 1999.