Azzurri have one win and three losses to sit eighth on the Northern NSW NPL ladder but they have the chance to improve their position in a rescheduled first-round home game against last-placed Valentine on Sunday as the rest of the competition enjoys a weekend off.

The break comes as NPL clubs start their FFA Cup campaigns and Azzurri are the first in action, against second-tier Kahibah on Wednesday night at Kahibah Oval. Also Wednesday night, second-division rivals Wallsend and Belmont-Swansea play at The Gardens. Other round-four games are next week or later.

For Charlestown, the match will be a chance to reset after an undisciplined display in a 2-0 loss to Edgeworth on Saturday following a bizarre ruling which allowed the Eagles to score in the 50th minute.

Azzurri were fuming after Jeremy Brockie scored following a throw-in taken more than 20 metres from where the ball had gone out. Edgeworth's Tyson Jackson prepared to take the throw about 10m inside the Charlestown half when a teammate in line with the penalty area upfield grabbed another ball and threw it in.

Brockie capitalised against a stunned Charlestown side, who then remonstrated with officials. The Eagles added a second goal through a James Scott header in the 63rd minute. Law said his side, which earned five yellow cards on Saturday, lost composure after the first goal.

Adding to Azzurri's woes are injuries in the final third. Proven goalscorer Kane Goodchild (knee), who was sidelined for most of 2020, could miss the rest of the season, while young attackers Riley Smith (broken arm) and Regan Lundy (suspended) have also been out since the round-three loss to Broadmeadow.

Lundy is set to return for Wednesday night's game but he could face sanction for an alleged post-match altercation with Magic's Keanu Moore, who he was sent off for violent conduct against in that round-three match. Northern NSW Football continue to investigate.

On the pitch, Law is hoping for a change in luck and repeat of last year, when Azzurri lost their opening three games but stormed home to take fourth place in the shortened 13-game season.

"We've had a bit of a tough start but we're not in as bad a place as it looks," Law said. "We should have beat Magic and we gave up two own goals against Maitland. We weren't good against Edgy but that first goal killed us.

"If we can get to nine points from six, it's probably not a brutal start and I can see us, the way the season's going, we're going to be the one through the pack late on again. I'm not saying we'll get there, but it's looking like how it's got to be again."