Maitland Magpies face Broadmeadow Magic in first home game

The team let a 2-0 half-time lead slip against South Cardiff and had to settle for a bitter 2-2 draw.

But there will be a chance at redemption this Sunday when the Magpies host one of the league’s strongest sides, Broadmeadow Magic.

“The guys were disppointed that we had a draw and, from inside the group, they know they are capable of winning – that was evident from last weekend,” Magpies coach Chris Turner said.

“There’s a sense of excitement about getting to play someone like Broadmeadow at home [in Maitland] on the weekend.”

But while the Broadmeadow Magic are a classy outfit full of experienced crusaders like Pete Haynes and Josh Piddington, the Magpies do not intend to be easy opponents.

But Maitland will have to be on their game.

They will face a Magic squad hungry for goals after being kept to a clean sheet 0-0 draw with Hamilton on the weekend.

“If we win, we’ll earn it,” Turner said.

“I know the boys believe they can win, there’s no doubt about that.

“Broadmeadow are a classy side, they’re strong everywhere across the park.

“They’re well organised and have been a champion team for a lot of years.

“There’s good reason for that, because they do it well.”

Turner has no doubt that the Magpies are capable of bouncing back from their first-round draw.

“After the game everyone was very down,” Turner said.

“But you pick yourself up from that, but it’s good sometimes to go down before you go back, and I think that’s where the boys are up to at the moment.

“The guys know where they’re up to.

“There are some who have been there [in the top flight] before, and somewho haven’t.

“But certainly, when they’re in the position of being capable of scoring goals, they know they can get the job done.

“So they don’t need to prove anything to themselves.”

Maitland Magpies play Broadmeadow Magic at Cooks Square Park at 2.30pm this Sunday.