Bears respond with 0-0 draw but Magpies see red and blow two-goal lead

Piggott blasted his side after their  2-1 loss to Lake Macquarie last week labelling it the worst by a team he has coached in 30 years.

But with just one training session on Friday, Weston bravely held out the Jaffas and could have collected the three points if not for a brilliant save by Lambton keeper Brad Swancott to deny Nathan Morris from the penalty spot.

Just as importantly it was the Bears first clean sheet in two seasons.

“Who would want to be a coach?” a relieved Piggott joked on Sunday.

It’s a question several other NPL coaches will be asking after the weekend with Lakes making it two wins in a row beating Charlestown City Blues 3-0, Maitland FC having two players sent off in a 2-all draw with Adamstown and blowing a chance to move to third.

“In a lot of areas we were poor at last week we were at least 50 to 60 per cent better,” Piggot said.

“I challenged the playing group as a collective and I challenged the majority of players individually during the week and as (James) Pascoe the opposition coach said I got the response I needed.

“Take your hat off to a group that was the same group that went around last week, bar a minor change here or there, and stood up and did enough to earn a valuable point.

“Apart from the save by Swancott we could have had three points. While it might not have been deserved in terms of possession we still created the chance by getting a player in the box and he was taken down.

“While we played fairly defensively and got behind the ball in great numbers we played on the counter and while we didn’t have many chances we were able to frustrate them.”

Piggott was particularly pleased with the performances of Tega Adjeke who played out out up front, club stalwart Jamie Subat and Chris Hurley.

“Tiga  scored the only goal the week before but I challenged him to be a be more combative and make a nuisance of himself in the top third playing one out. He did his best and did what I was after.

“Most of the players improved out of sight from the week before.

“There were no super standouts but the work rate and work ethic got us the points as a collective.

“For our guys not to concede a goal for the first time in two seasons is a pretty good effort. Hats off to young (Kane) Runge, he didn’t have much to do but he pulled off a couple of good saves.”

Maitland FC had a day to forget blowing a 2-0 lead just before half-time and having two players red-carded in a 2-all draw with Adamstown Rosebud.

Chris Fayers was sent off with a straight red in the 71st minute and Ryan Clarke and Adamstown keeper Benn Kelly were both red-carded in the 80th minute of the game in which Maitland received seven yellow cards.

Both Fayers and Clarke face suspensions and will miss at least next week’s game against Valentine. 

Matt Comerford got Maitland off to a flyer opening the scoring in the fourth minute with a diving header. He doubled the lead in the 21st minute.

Adamstown reduced the margin in 45th minute when Ben Higgins converted a penalty. Their second was another penalty taken by Robbie Turnbull in the 62nd.

Maitland had the chance to jump to third with Weston holding Lambton Jaffas to a draw and closing the gap on Broadmeadow and Edgeworth who had a 0-all draw.