Charlestown 2 Toronto 1

In front of a season record crowd at Peacock Oval, Toronto suffered it's second defeat for the season. The game was billed as the match of the round between two of NEWFM's tittle contenders, Toronto and the highly fancied Charlestown. From the opening whistle it was end to end stuff. The Stags were unlucky not to score through Naif Kassouah early in front of goal. At the 30th minute after a succession of raids in the Charlestown half the Stags were awarded a penalty after a player was tackled in the box. Billy Lockley scored from the pen and it was one-nil to the home side.
After the break, within minutes Adam Ballter equalised for Charlestown with a free kick from 20 metres which slipped under the stags keeper. From that point the Stags were in control with the goal post preventing two goals. 20 minutes in and Steve Eagleton broke away down the left wing, delivered a quality crossed and was injured in back play. He was taken to hospital with a suspected broken leg. The game continued in a stall mate with Adam Humble and Karl Gavin looking to exploit the Charlestown defence. Charlestown attacker and NEWFM leading goal scorer Scott Smith was marked out of the game by a tireless Jacob Bohr, and David Baillie and Cameron Donovan kept Kane Goodchild under control. The game looked to be ending in a draw when Charlestown were awarded a penalty in the 43rd minute. Aaron Pritchard posted the winner to steal the game 2-1. Special mention must go to David Baillie who left John Hunter Hospital to play the game. David's wife Mel was in labor and has since given birth to their new daughter Tayla Claire Baillie. Congratulations to Mel and David and Tayla. 

Toronto 2 Maitland 0

The stags hosted the magpies in the all important top of the table clash at Lyall Peacock Field, with the stags keen to stop Maitland distancing themselves in the race to the premiership. Maitland won the both the lower grades 4-1 and the warning signs were there for a clean sweep to the visitors. Both teams started the game with a great deal of intensity, this was not a game for the faint hearted. 10 minutes into the game Toronto's Adam Humble and Maitland's David Rankovich collided heavily and awkwardly. There was no malice in the tackle resulting in a broken leg to Rankovich. After a 25 minute delay the game proceeded, and Toronto began to take the ascendancy with tight defence and superior speed in attack. Lloyd Wakewood scored to put the home team in front. 10 minutes later Wakewood provided a 2nd goal, and Toronto led 2-0 at the break.

The second half saw the pies throw everything at the stags initially through the ride side, but they were unable to threaten the stags goal. After 20 minutes the pies started targeting their left side and were creating more chances, but once again the stags back 3 held them out with relative ease. The game finished with the stags winning comfortably 2-0. On a wind affected Edden Oval  Toronto defeated Lambton 1-0.

Toronto Awaba almost saw a 4-0 lead slip right before their eyes as three late Cessnock goals set up an emphatic finish at Turner Park, in ended 4-3.

Cessnock were under pressure from the opening exchanges after a failed clearance went straight to the feet of the opposition striker who tapped in to give Toronto the lead within the opening seconds of the match.

Toronto Awaba continued to add pressure and score goals as they raced to a 4-0 advantage half way through the second half and looked to be secured of all three points.

Toronto were then subsequently reduced to ten men and Cessnock found themselves back in the game scoring three late goals to set up an exciting finish to the match.
 
Cessnock were on top in the end and would have felt that if the game went for much longer they would have got a result as Toronto couldn’t deal with the late onslaught.

Cessnock City Hornets Coach Barry Ross said “it was a much better performance than the week before, against stronger opposition, even though we lost, it didn’t feel as bad as the week before”.
 
Cessnock travel to Belmont next week while Toronto will host Adamstown looking to extend their impressive start to the season.