Despite disappointment mid-week in the FFA Cup third round for Cooks Hill, the defending premiers’ form in League One continues to soar.
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The Cookers downed New Lambton off a double from Lee Ashton, but the 2-1 defeat is the least of New Lambton’s problems in the near future.
Tumultuous news arrived for the winless club mid-week with head coach Andrew Packer revealing he was stepping down from his leading role.
Interim coach Tony Gascoine led the travelling Eagles as they continued to search for their first win of 2018, and things appeared to be going well for New Lambton as Riley Taylor opened the scoring in the match.
Just ten minutes later Ashton scored his first to dampen the Eagles’ spirits, and a second goal to open the second half put the nail in the coffin as Cooks Hill retained their hold on the top of the table.
Elsewhere on the weekend, the Belswans were kept to a scoreless draw against Kahibah, struggling with key absences Cameron Lodge and David Hodgson, the later of whom was ruled out in the match warm-up.
West Wallsend also won their second in a row with a 2-1 victory over South Cardiff, with impact sub Ryan Cole opening the scoring, and Bailey Maxton netting the winning goal late on in the match.
The Gunners’ new signing Nathan McCallister scored the equaliser to make it 1-all, but it wasn’t enough for the away side at Johnston Park.
On Sunday, Ty Goldsmith scored twice from the spot in a 2-all draw between Wallsend and Singleton. Jordan Phelan scored first for the Strikers, while Tom Hume’s late equaliser earned them a point from the match.
Toronto Awaba also drew with Thornton with Jye MacKellar scoring early for the Redbacks and a late-surging Stags levelling the score through a Jarrod Penfold free-kick with just minutes to spare.
Thornton Redbacks’ coach Gary Wand revealed the team were “gutted” after coming away with just a single point at Lyall Peacock Field.
“We created plenty of chances. We just needed a little bit of composure,” he said. “The team was pretty gutted after the game.”
“It felt like a loss to them and from a coach’s perspective, you like to see that. They were really disappointed by it.”
Cessnock City Hornets had the bye round.
League One Table: Cooks Hill (12), Wallsend (9), Thornton (8), Cessnock City (8), West Wallsend (7), Singleton (6), Toronto Awaba (5), Belmont Swansea (4), Kahibah (4), South Cardiff (4), New Lambton (0).
Isaac McIntyre
Got a story or a tip that you want to send through? Contact me at isaac.mcintyre@fairfaxmedia.com.au
Got a story or a tip that you want to send through? Contact me at isaac.mcintyre@fairfaxmedia.com.au
