A Lucy Kell hat-trick set up a resounding 10-0 win over Mid Coast and importantly improved Broadmeadow's goal difference to the best in Newcastle Herald Women's Premier League as they continue on a collision course with Newcastle Olympic for the premiership.
Two points separate Olympic and Magic in the race for the competition's top spot and both will be closely monitoring each other's goal difference as the league heads towards the third and final round of the season proper.
Kell's start to the season has been plagued by injury but the former Junior Matilda signalled a return to form and fitness by opening the scoring inside 10 minutes at Magic Park on Saturday then adding another two in the second half.
It was one of three hat-tricks produced across the league in round 13. Bronte Peel and Ainsley Childs bagged three goals each as Maitland improved to 21 points and third place with a comfortable 7-2 win over New Lambton (0) at Cooks Square Park on Saturday.
But, while second-placed Magic (34) cruised to their lop-sided scoreline, league leaders Olympic (36) only just managed to walk away with the three points against sixth-placed Charlestown (15).
Midfielder Keely Gawthrop produced a last-minute moment of brilliance to seal a 1-0 win at Lisle Carr Oval on Saturday with a long-range strike that hit the post before going in. It was a much closer affair than when Olympic won 7-2 over Azzurri in round six.
Adamstown also turned the tables on Warners Bay in another close battle to secure what coach Ryan Campbell described as a win "we needed".
Rosebud turned a 7-1 loss to the Panthers in round six into a 1-0 victory at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility on Saturday night.
Due to NSW COVID-19 restrictions put in place on Saturday evening, Warners Bay were without former W-League player Tara Pender, who lives in Sydney, and Adamstown were without defenders Leia Puxty and Jemma Lawson. Puxty lives on the Central Coast and Lawson had been in Sydney through the week for work.
Rosebud goalkeeper Olivia Sneddon defused a number of early attacking raids as Warners Bay took control of the game for the first 20 minutes.
But the breakthrough came in the 31st minute when Kiarra Lewis scored from just inside the 18-yard box.
The chance came after an Adamstown cross was punched away by Warners Bay goalkeeper Ally Boertje only to fall to Lewis, who took a touch then buried the ball into the top of the net with a left-footed strike.
Rosebud went to the break with the 1-0 advantage and were hungrier for the ball in the second half, producing an aggressive style of play in order to protect their lead.
"We needed that because now we're two points behind Maitland and equal with Warners Bay," Campbell said.
"In the first 20 minutes we didn't look at all like we'd turned up and I think that was because of so many changes. But we don't lose as many moments of the game now.
"They're growing in a bit of maturity where they recognise we can't lose that moment or we don't make a mistake in those areas and are not relying on certain people, like Liv, to have a good game."
The result elevated Adamstown to 19 points and onto level terms with Warners Bay, who have a game in hand against Mid Coast (4) but have now lost their past three matches in what coach Craig Atkins is describing as "a form slump".
The Panthers sit fourth ahead of Rosebud in fifth on goal difference.
"There's some chances there that you've got to be putting away," Atkins said.
"We still played out well from the back and still played good patches but it was just our last options.
"It's really frustrating. The ball has got to go in. Liv made some good saves but there's some we should've put away."
Round 13 results:
Broadmeadow 10 (Lucy Kell 3, Ash Brodigan 2, Kalista Hunter 2, Kobie Ferguson, Nadja Squires, Sunny Mitchell) beat Mid Coast 0 at Magic Park on Saturday. Half-time: Magic led 3-0.
Maitland 7 (Bronte Peel 3, Ainsley Childs ? 3, Lisa Cochrane) beat New Lambton 2 (Brooke Miller, Jenna Kingsley) at Cooks Square Park on Saturday. Half-time: Maitland led 4-2.
Newcastle Olympic 1 (Keely Gawthrop) beat Charlestown Azzurri 0 at Lisle Carr Oval on Saturday. Half-time: 0-0
Adamstown 1 (Kiarra Lewis) beat Warners Bay 0 at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility on Saturday. Half-time: Adamstown led 1-0.
Points: Olympic 36, Broadmeadow 34, Maitland 21, Warners Bay 19, Adamstown 19, Azzurri 15, Mid Coast 4, New Lambton 0.
