It may still be early days, but Adamstown coach Ryan Campbell rated their victory over Maitland on Saturday night as crucial to their NPLW Northern NSW finals hopes.
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Weekend action brought to a close the first of three rounds in Northern NSW Football's top-flight competition.
The 3-2 win at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility was Adamstown's first over a top-four side this campaign and elevated the fifth-placed side to 10 points, just two behind Maitland (12) in fourth.
Rosebud's only other wins of the first seven games were against the bottom two sides, Warners Bay (0) and Mid Coast (3), and a loss would have given the Magpies an eight-point buffer.
Sixth-placed New Lambton (7) are breathing down Rosebud's necks and set to benefit greatly in coming weeks by the addition of experienced A-League Women's players Cassidy Davis and Lauren Allan.
Long-serving Jets striker Tara Andrews is also expected to join the Eagles.
"Before the game we spoke about it as it was almost must win because if you're on seven points after one round and fourth place is on 15 you're pretty much over and done with already," Campbell said.
The Adamstown mentor described the round-seven match as "our most consistent performance so far".
Now, Campbell wants his charges to follow it up with two more wins in consecutive clashes against Mid Coast then Warners Bay before facing Broadmeadow (16), New Lambton, Charlestown (15) and Olympic (16).
"Hopefully we can get six points over the next two weeks and if you're on 16 points going into those games then you're not in too bad a spot," he said.
"It's consistency, so it's approaching this week's game with the same level of care that they approached last week's game."
Adamstown always led but twice Maitland closed the gap to one goal.
"The girls didn't step back. Once we conceded a goal, they didn't drop off, which was a bit of my worry because when they played Charlestown and conceded at 2-1 it all fell apart," Campbell said.
"But we got the third goal, so that was good."
Josie Morley scored twice in just her third appearance since returning to Rosebud from the Jets.
Jets left-back Leia Puxty is set to boost Adamstown further when she also becomes eligible to play in round nine. A-League players must have a 30-day grace period between playing in a professional and amateur league.
"Josie had her best game probably since she's played for us," Campbell said.
"She looked like she's starting to get a little bit of confidence and a bit of rhythm in how she's playing.
"She made a big difference just in the composure of the team because you can give her the ball and she'll be able to keep it and play, and she took her chances well as well.
"They all know Puxty is on her way back next week so there's another person to come into the team. There's a bit of competition for places and we're in a decent spot."
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