Coach Ryan Campbell hopes the past two weeks' performances are a sign of things to come for his young Adamstown side who are looking to turn the tables on Maitland in an important Newcastle Herald Women's Premier League clash on Saturday night.
The two sides are stuck in a three-way battle for fourth place as the competition approaches its halfway point. Adamstown are fourth with 13 points while Maitland and Charlestown are fifth and sixth respectively on 12.
Maitland were 6-2 winners when they met Adamstown at Cooks Square Park in round three with all of the goals coming in the second half. This time they will trade blows at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility.
The Magpies produced a crucial come-from-behind 3-1 win over Azzurri last weekend while Adamstown backed up a 6-0 win over last-placed New Lambton (0) in round eight with a 3-0 win over seventh-placed Mid Coast (4) in round nine.
Scoring goals had been an issue in earlier rounds for Adamstown, who had also struggled to keep a clean sheet.
"We didn't play that badly the last time against Maitland," Campbell said. "It was just a 20-minute period that we were poor in and that meant we gave away our chance to actually win the game.
"We've done a bit of work to make sure we're set up so we don't get countered on, because they're very good on the counter-attack with quick players. In the end it's just going to come down to if we actually can turn up and play well on the day.
"I think we had Ellen [Hughes] out last time we played them and she makes a massive difference to us, just in relation to creating and scoring chances. I also think we're in a better position from a goalscoring perspective where a few of the younger ones have got a bit more confidence.
"[Leia] Puxty has stepped up and started to score goals as well, which is good because she's one of our key players."
They have lost captain Jorjia Hogg to Newcastle Olympic but have welcomed the return of wide player Brianna Trappett.
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Maitland coach Keelan Hamilton said attacking player Bronte Peel, who is recovering from a fractured foot, and fullback Emily Wicks (unavailable) were both out while striker Mercedes McNabb returns after being unavailable last round.
The Magpies face third-placed Warners Bay (16) then league leaders Newcastle Olympic (24) in succession after Adamstown.
"We've had a good patch of form where we've only lost to Broadmeadow in the last month, which has been positive, but we've got to try to keep picking up points consistently if we're going to be there at the end of the season," Hamilton said.
"So the next two weeks are important for us with regards to that position in the table."
The match kicks off at 7pm.
On Sunday at 3.40pm, Warners Bay play Mid Coast at John Street Oval and Newcastle Olympic are at home to New Lambton.
On Friday night at 8pm, Broadmeadow play Charlestown at Magic Park.
