Magic star James Virgili made up for a missed penalty to score in the 81^st minute for a 2-1 victory over Valentine at CB Complex where coach Ruben Zadkovich was absent as he served a one-game suspension. The sanction was imposed by Broadmeadow for a post-game altercation with Maitland player Alex Bozinovski two weeks ago.

Valentine keeper Perry Budden fouled a runaway Mitch Oxborrow to give Virgili the penalty in the 19^th minute but he made the save.

Oxborrow scored in the 31^st minute with a strike from a short corner but Valentine's Bailey Garland was gifted an open-goal equaliser in the 66^th when Magic keeper Paul Bitz missed a clearance kick.

Virgili's well-placed strike kept Magic four points behind Edgeworth (35), who beat Maitland 3-1 at Jack McLaughlan Oval on Saturday. Broadmeadow also have two games in hand on the Eagles.

Coach Anthony Richards was relieved to get the win after a frustrating start.

"We had a penalty, hit the crossbar, missed a couple of one-on-ones, and when you don't take those, you give sides like that a chance, and to their credit, they kept coming," Richards said. "But I guess we were good enough and composed enough to get away with it in the end."

Weston stayed three points from the Eagles, with a game in hand, after downing an emotional Lambton Jaffas line-up 1-0 in a match where three players were sent off.

The Jaffas, mourning the passing on Thursday of team manager Rob Etheridge, finished with nine men and lost to an 87th-minute penalty. Will McFarlane lunged in and fouled Jackson Burston near the byline and Nathan Morris converted the dot-shot past former Mariners and Jets keeper Ben Kennedy.

Bears defender Zac Sneddon and Jaffas livewire Luke Remington were given straight red cards in the 38^th minute after they became tangled in a battle for possession and fell to the turf, sparking a scuffle involving several players. Jaffas skipper Michael Sessions was booked then and given a second in stoppage time for a late hit.

Weston coach Kew Jaliens was pleased with his side's display in "a very physical game".

"I'm very happy with the effort the boys put in to also get the clinical wins in, if it's not always with good and beautiful football, that they showed they have a different side to them as well," Jaliens said.

The Jaffas are now sixth on 24 points, a win outside the top four. Coach James Pascoe, who had no issue with the send-offs, said his side were hurting after the massive shock of losing Etheridge, but it was no excuse for their ill-discipline.

Also Sunday, Lake Macquarie leapfrogged Rosebud out of last place with a 1-0 win at Adamstown Oval. Callum Bower scored in the 49^th minute with a header. On Saturday night, Hamilton beat the Jets Youth 2-0.

Scott Pettit and Reece Papas scored for Olympic, who moved to 18 points.

On Saturday, a late double from substitute Oliver Smith lifted Edgeworth to victory over fourth-placed Maitland (27).

Adam Cawley scored in 25^th minute and James Thompson equalised for Maitland in the 59^th.

Smith then produced quality strikes in the 67^th and 82^nd minutes.