Coach Heath Whyte praised Charlestown Azzurri's defensive effort as they strengthened their top-four credentials with a 2-0 win over Newcastle Olympic at Darling Street Oval on Saturday.
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Whyte took Azurri's reins in NPLW Northern NSW this season, bringing in several new faces and adjusting their playing style.
After five rounds, they are third with 10 points. Whyte believes they are far from the finished product but building nicely after being their own worst enemies in a 4-2 loss to Maitland then conceding a stoppage-time goal to draw 1-1 with Broadmeadow in their second and third outings.
"We've done a lot of work with [goalkeeper] Taylah [Gray] and the backline this week and our defensive game was exceptional," Whyte said.
"I'm really proud of the girls. The effort that they've put in. The discipline at training to get that right to eliminate our mistakes. We eliminate mistakes, hold the ball and it's a whole different game of football.
"That game was a big one for us. It was important from a confidence piece. We know we were all over Magic and we gave them the game back in the last 40 seconds, and this was another key game for us.
"We want to show that we can mix it with those top-four teams, and [against Olympic] we did that."
Cassie Corder scored with a back-post tap-in off a corner in the 45th minute then Ella Joyce made it 2-0 with a well-timed outside-of-the-foot volley in the 55th minute after Corder crossed into the box.
Olympic, who slipped to fourth on nine points, had the chance to pull one back from the penalty spot in the 76th minute but Elodie Dagg sent her spot kick into the left post then Gray denied a follow-up shot.
The loss was the second straight for last year's beaten grand finalists after succumbing 2-1 to Maitland in round four. They host the Magpies, who improved to 12 points and outright second after routing Mid Coast 15-0 at Cooks Square Park on Sunday, in the League Cup on Thursday night.
"There was some really good patches of football still from us and we're still creating chances, but Azzurri were very sharp," Olympic coach Craig Atkins said.
On Saturday night, Tori Johnson scored in both halves as a 10-player Adamstown produced a confidence-boosting 2-0 victory against New Lambton at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility.
Rosebud goalkeeper Janali Haynes was red-carded in the 23rd minute for a challenge on Eagles player Jess Terry just outside the 18-yard box. The win elevated Adamstown (six) ahead of New Lambton (three) and into fifth position.
Back-to-back leading goalscorer Adriana Konjarski got on the scoresheet in her final game as leaders Broadmeadow (13) beat Warners Bay 6-1 at John Street Oval on Sunday.