Windy, freezing conditions ruined the game as a spectacle but the Maitland Magpies and Broadmeadow Magic rose to the challenge to deliver an engrossing 0-all draw at Cooks Square Park.
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Players and even the fans were left drained by the encounter as the two teams attacked and counter attacked repeatedly but were unable to beat their opponent's defence as both keepers pulled off some excellent saves.
The draw with second-placed Magic leaves Maitland in third place equal on 10 points with Lambton Jaffas, however, Newcastle Olympic could jump above both teams with a win at home against Charlestown Azzurri today.
Magpies goal keeper Matt Trott said Cooks Square Park lived up to and went beyond it's windy hill reputation in easily the toughest playing conditions encountered this season.
"It was pretty open end to end and would have been pretty entertaining to watch but as far playing football goes it was pretty tricky," Trott said after his second clean sheet in a row.
"As a keeper it's horrible in that wind. The ball's coming across at all different angles and speed you just don't want it to go near you to be honest.
"Defensively we were really tight, they had a couple of chances today. One off the line and another off the cross bar which was probably never going to go in, but apart from that we were pretty tight in defence."
The clean sheet was a feather in the cap for the Maitland defence against a Magic side which is the league's leading scoring team with 16 goals from seven games.
Trott said the back four of Carl and Liam Thornton, Tommy Davies and Zac Thomas were settled and looking solid but the Swan twins Andrew and Matt were crucial to Maitland's defence.
"As long as we can get those six on the park we are going to have a strong defensive line," he said.
"The Swan twins are so good to play with, they give us such an engine room. They do so much work. It can go unnoticed until you don't have them there, then it's not fun.
"There ability to make clean turnovers in contested situations and too seemingly instinctively know where each other are still
"They have that sixth sense, that twin sense that they know where each other are."
Trott said looking forward Maitland needed to maximise points to ensure a top two or three finish ahead of the finals.
"We've got Olympic down there on Wednesday night and Adamstown away as well next Sunday," he said.
"Olympic away is always a tough game, but if this wind keeps up as it has been it will be at least five degrees warmer down there and a lot better conditions that a training night up here."
In other games today, the Weston Bears host Lake Macquarie City and Valentine are at home to unbeaten competition leaders Edgeworth.
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