Maitland coach Michael Bolch hopes a return to training on their home ground this week will help spark his side after a lacklustre display against Adamstown and the blow of losing two players.
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The Magpies drew 1-1 with Rosebud at Cooks Square Park in round five of the NPL on Saturday in what was their first match there following the redevelopment of facilities and the sowing of rye grass.
It also came after news goalkeeper Taylor Pate would be sidelined for at least three months with a knee injury sustained in round four and that attacker Damon Green had switched to Toronto Awaba in the second-division.
Green's work commitments have restricted his availability for training. He started for the Stags on the weekend in a 6-0 loss to leaders Belmont Swansea.
Pate was injured early in the 3-0 win over Olympic. Former Mariners keeper Matt Trott has since filled the void.
"We were a bit worried about an ACL injury," Bolch said of Pate.
"But it's a little tear in the PCL, so he's in a brace for three months, so he could be out longer after he works back from that.
"We've got Trotty there and he did well in both games. Our 18s keeper stepped up in reserve grade the other day."
On Saturday, Adamstown scored early via a penalty for an accidental handball against Jordan Jackson before Regan Lundy equalised in the 80th minute.
Matt Hoole (wedding) was also missing for the Magpies but Bolch had no explanation for the flat display.
"It's two points lost but we were poor," he said.
"It looked a completely different side to the one who played Olympic. It was a very well-worked goal [to equalise] but it was too few and far between, that passage of play and the movement.
"We were just really flat on the weekend. There's no excuses. The intensity and everything we did right against Olympic went out the window. It's like we'd forgotten how to play in seven days. It's very frustrating."
The result leaves Maitland fifth on seven points ahead of this weekend's Easter break.
On the plus side, Maitland are again training on Cooks Square Park and they hope to have Zach Thomas and Alex Read back from injury for the round-six game against Lambton Jaffas.
"They are all pretty excited to get going because we are finally back on our own ground," Bolch said.
"We haven't trained on our ground for months. We've been training at Rutherford High School.
"The boys are looking forward to training again on a good surface."
