The Magpies from Maitland enjoyed a tremendous run at the end of the regular season to storm their way into the semi-finals but fell short against a tough, championship-winning Broadmeadow team. After making quite a number of changes to the side at the beginning of 2018, coach Michael Bolch has this year instead decided to focus on keeping his team together and to promote from within. His squad will once again be one of the stronger ones especially due to a couple of new key signings and the great [...]

JOEL Wood showed again why Maitland FC was so keen to sign him this season collecting a double in the Magpies' 3-1 win against Lake Macquarie City on Saturday. Wood slotted his first from the edge of the six-yard box from a deflection from a shot by Ryan Broadley squared the keeper and sent the ball Wood's way. The second was seemingly, equally as simple, but again his timing was superb to run on to a cut-back pass from Ryan Clarke to give Maitland a 2-1 lead in the [...]

MAITLAND coach Mick Bolch believes his squad's improved depth will hold them in good stead for a run at a first round of 32 FFA Cup appearance.The Magpies kick off the involvement of Northern NSW NPL clubs in the nationwide knockout when they take on Zone Premier League outfit Swansea at Chapman Oval from 7pm tonight.The other NPL clubs start next week. Bolch said he played his under 20s squad last year in Maitland's Cup opener against Lake Macquarie when they were knocked out but he would field "mainly first [...]

THE Maitland Magpies beat Swansea 4-0 on Wednesday night to progress to the fifth round of the FFA Cup. The Magpies will learn their next opponent next week when most of the round four fixtures are played. Maitland, however, paid a price for the win and finished with 10 fit men, with Tommy Davies, James Thompson and Grant Brown all suffering injuries. All three will be tested at a light training run on Friday, with Davies and Thompson rated a chance of playing. Brown, however, left the field in [...]

LAMBTON Jaffas may have missed the chance to move clear on top of the table after a late equaliser from Maitland, but coach James Pascoe was just pleased to get something against a team he sees as genuine contenders this year. The Magpies came back twice to level at Cooks Square Park on Sunday to draw their Northern NSW NPL catchup game 2-2. Sean Pratt, who came off the bench to equalise in the 2-1 win over Edgeworth three weeks ago, delivered again for Maitland. Off along ball, Ryan Clarke [...]

MAITLAND Magpies coach Mick Bolch has a problem - and he's loving it. "Every week I have 15 players pushing hard or a first grade spot," he said. "I honestly don't know what my starting side will be and that's a good sign. A lot of coaches would like to be in that position." This week the Magpies, sitting mid-table on 11 points, are away to Hamilton Olympic who are one point behind them on 10 points, in what will be a tough struggle. "The ladder is a little deceptive [...]

MAITLAND Magpies coach Mick Bolch didn't mince words: "It was as bad a performance as we've put in during my time here." He was reacting to the Magpies' surprising 4-0 loss to Hamilton Olympic on Saturday. There is no doubt this hot and cold Hamilton side was having one of their hot days, but it was difficult to see this result coming. The Magpies, after losing their first game of the season, had strung together five impressive performances that included a win over Edgeworth and creditable draws against the [...]

THE Maitland Magpies' coaching staff make no bones about - they're looking for a response after last weekend's 4-0 drubbing against Hamilton Olympic. They get the chance to atone when they take on Adamstown Rosebud at Cook Square on Sunday, and nothing less than a win will suffice. "Some games you just pack up your bags and move on, and that was one because nothing went right for us," football manager Mick Mirisch said. "We had been pretty consistent before that, so it came out of nowhere." And what [...]

TO DESCRIBE it as season defining would be an exaggeration, but there's no question that this week is a big one for the Maitland Magpies. At the start of the week coach Mick Bolch had to deal with the tricky challenge of an NPL match against Adamstown Rosebud, followed by tonight's midweek FFA Cup match against Charlestown City Blues (7.15pm kick-off), before tackling the high flying Jets Youth team on Sunday. All this on the back of a shock four-nil thumping the previous weekend by Hamilton Olympic. But it [...]

IF THE loss of key midfielder Ryan Broadley for up to six with a broken hand wasn't bad enough, the Magpies will also be without experienced Matt Thompson for a number of games. Thompson aggravated a calf injury and pulled out before Wednesday night's 4- 3 FFA Cup win over Charlestown City. Broadley finished last weekend's NPL clash with Adamstown Rosebud in some discomfort with his hand swollen and medical staff feared it could be broken. That was confirmed after an x-ray on Tuesday. "He'll be missed, but I've [...]