Maitland Magpies beat Broadmeadow 3-0 as top-four battle hots up

It was the fourth win by the second-placed Magpies in all competitions this season against the reigning premiers and champions.

Bronte Peel scored a double from the penalty spot in the 44^th and 65^th minutes after captain Sophie Stapleford opened the scoring in the 33^rd minute.

Magpies coach Keelan Hamilton was especially pleased with the clean-sheet and said defensive pair Alesha Clifford and Tahlia Gossner were outstanding.

"I thought our defensive structure was really good yesterday," Hamilton said.

"I think we were professional without being outstanding and not as clinical as we needed to be in our front-third with our final pass or finish. I think we could have scored a few more goals from the moments we created.

"But I thought defensively we were really outstanding yesterday and our two centre-backs particularly Alesha Clifford and Tahlia Gossner had really strong performances."

The Magpies are second on 33 points behind competition leader Newcastle Olympic on 36 points, but the Magpies have two games in hand of both Olympic and Magic, who are third on 29 points from their 15 games.

Charlestown Azzurri are fourth on 28 points from 17 games and have two critical catch up games against the Magpies on Tuesday, July 9, (away) and Saturday, August 3 (home).

Maitland are away to bottom side Warners Bay on Sunday, July 7, before playing Azzurri at Lisle Carr Oval on Tuesday night. Azzurri have an away game against Broadmeadow on Sunday in a far tougher run into the game.

Hamilton said the clean sheet and defensive effort against Broadmeadow was particularly pleasing with every goal and every point vital as the top four jostle to finish top to win the premiership and double chances in the finals for the championship.

"We've had a little bit of habit this season of conceding some early goals against those teams and yesterday was defensively really positive," he said.

"I don't think they had a shot on target. They hit the crossbar, but that was their first shot of the match and that wasn't until the 67^th minute or something like that.

"Defensively were were really compact and solid yesterday and led really well by our two centre-backs. It's something we need to continue to do over the next seven or eight weeks, but it was really positive yesterday."