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 at this stage because we've had the bye and also [...]

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 provided the run in behind and the chipped cross to [...]

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 the second half with a groin injury and will face [...]

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 graders" when they meet Swansea, who are led by former [...]

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 54th minute. "That's five goals in five games for him," [...]

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 depth they have with multiple players from their premiership-winning 20 [...]