A Round 2 bye following a resounding Round 1 win isn’t ideal, but it’s the hand which the Jets Youth have been dealt in the NPL Northern NSW.
With a week’s rest under their belts and time to build on their opening day, 3-1 win over Charlestown, the boys are back on the park this Saturday night in Round 3.
The final match in a big day of football at Jack McLaughlan Oval which will see all seven Jets Academy boys sides take to the pitch, the senior fixture is a mouth-watering affair.
The Jets are currently placed third on the NPL Northern NSW ladder, albeit at an early stage of the season, but another three points this weekend would guarantee Newcastle remain inside the competition’s top four.
It’s a prospect which will have coach, Labi Haliti, driving his players to perform and put the side in a positive position at this early stage in the season.
Edgeworth Eagles, Saturday night’s opponents, come into the match on the back off a surprise 2-1 defeat at the hands of Charlestown last Friday.
Given the Eagles have won the past four premierships in the NPL Northern NSW, and went into this match following a big 6-1 win over champions, Broadmeadow, they’ll be well up for the fight this weekend.
The win over Charlestown saw a number of players who train regularly with the first team feature, and star.
Pat Langlois and Angus Thurgate were immense in the midfield, while it was the heroics of goalkeeper, Noah James which kept the Jets in the game early on.
He went off injured at the hour mark, replaced by Brodie Volkiene, but the diagnosis was a pinched nerve only and James is set to resume his spot between the sticks this Saturday.
A number of Youth team boys have been training with the first team through the week – Kieran Hayes, Ryan Goodhew, and Tom Beecham among them – so expect those boys to be fired up and keen to impress.
