NPL: Underdone Magpies starting to take flight with second win

But after a second straight win, Bolch is beginning to see positive signs.

The 2022 premiers defeated Newcastle Olympic 3-0 on Saturday at Darling Street Oval, which followed two losses then a 2-1 win over New Lambton with two stoppage-time goals last week.

On Saturday, James Thompson finished nice build-up play in the 78th minute, Matt Hoole scored with a cracking long-range strike in the 83rd and Braedyn Crowley caught Olympic on the counter in the 93rd.

"We are just improving in little areas each week," Bolch said. "We lost nine players so it's going to take time to gel and we didn't have a great pre-season. We had quite a few games cancelled. We were probably four games away from where we wanted to be at the start of the season, so it will take time.

"On Saturday we had an 18-year-old [Connor Butchard] start at left-back, a 16-year-old [Charlie Pollard] in midfield and an 18-year-old [Isaac Collins] come off the bench and set up two goals. And we've still got Alex Read [ankle] and Zach Thomas [hamstring] out, so there's a few positive signs.

"They all worked hard off the ball for each other and that was missing a little bit in the first couple of weeks."

Also on Saturday, New Lambton were left ruing a stoppage-time penalty for a second week, after a 2-2 draw with Adamstown gave both teams their first point of the season.

Dane Lawther slotted the 93^rd minute penalty at Adamstown Oval after Oscar Ward was called for a foul. Riley Taylor (50^th minute) and Ward (61st) scored off poor touches in defence. Rosebud's Aiden Halpin (59th) equalised off a corner.

Valentine celebrated their return to CB Complex with a 5-0 drubbing of Lake Macquarie. Nick Cowburn bagged a hat-trick, while Tyrell Paulson and Nicholas Martinelli got a goal each.

Charlestown continued Cooks Hill's frustrating start to the year, beating them 2-0 at Fearnley Dawes Athletics Field. Luke Callen scored a runaway goal in the 20^th minute and Harry Frendo struck from long range at the start of stoppage time to keep Azzurri on maximum points and Cooks Hill on zero.

On Sunday, Broadmeadow defeated a 10-man Edgeworth 3-1 at home and Lambton Jaffas beat Weston 2-1 at No.2 Sportsground. Edgeworth lost Jordy Lennon to a red card in the 15th minute for an off-the-ball foul.