REGAN Lundy starred with two goals and an assist as Weston overcame the loss of coach Kew Jaliens to down a 10-man Adamstown 4-2 on Saturday.
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Jaliens, who has taken over at the Bears this Northern NSW NPL season, went into hospital with a leg infection on Friday and faced possible surgery on Sunday.
Without the former Dutch international calling the shots and players Max Foster and Jordan Jackson on the pitch, Weston still made a flying start at Adamstown Oval in their round two clash.
Cooper Buswell scored with a header off a Liam Wilson cross in the 16th minute and Lundy hit a strike from the top of the penalty area for 2-0 in the 20th.
Adamstown, though, responded two minutes later when Connor Heydon finished from close range before crossing for Matt Sokulsky to equalise in the 29th.
Weston were back in front in the 47th minute when Buswell found Lundy with a cut-back.
Rosebud, without defenders Oliver Davies and Ben Higgins, were down to 10 men in the 71st minute when Judd Duncan was shown a straight red card for throwing the ball at a Weston player and shoving him after being pushed himself.
Lundy set up the clincher in the 87th minute with a long ball to Jackson Burston, who produced a clever chip over keeper Benn Kelly.
Bears assistant coach Craig Stoker said his side were disappointed with the opening-round 2-1 loss to Hamilton, where they missed first-half chances, and they responded well on Saturday.
"They took the foot off the pedal after the second goal and didn't adjust to what Adamstown were doing, and at half-time we spoke about that and they came out and fixed that," Stoker said.
"They are starting to gel, which is good. I always thought it would be a few weeks before they really hit their straps and they are starting to do that now.
"Adamstown were good also. I thought 4-2 was a bit harsh on them, but our boys are building."
Coach Shane Cansdell-Sherriff, whose side lost 2-1 to Valentine last week, was frustrated with lapses in concentration from Rosebud, especially for the goal just after half-time.
"Again key moments in the game are letting us down," he said. "It's hurt us three or four times in pre-season where there's a restart and the other team scores straight away. We've addressed it and I don't know why it happens.
"Maybe it's just switching off, but it was unfortunate because Craig will admit we had them on the ropes going into half-time after getting back into the game from conceding two poor goals."
He also lamented the send off of Duncan, who he said "was the last one I ever expect to retaliate in a situation like that".
The Hamilton-Lambton Jaffas, Lake Macquarie-Broadmeadow and Maitland-Valentine matches on Saturday evening were washed out.
A double from Scott Smith gave Charlestown a 2-1 away win over Edgeworth on Friday night. Oliver Smith gave the Eagles the lead before the Blues struck twice before half-time.