Maitland FC have the chance to reignite their premiership title hopes with victory against fellow top of the table team Charlestown Azzurri at Cooks Square Park on Sunday.
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The Magpies defeated Adamstown 5-3 on Wednesday night and results fell their way in other catch-up matches with top-three rivals Azzurri and Broadmeadow Magic both losing their midweek encounters.
Star striker Braedyn Crowley led the way with the hat-trick with some excellent support work from Jimmy Thompson who chimed in with one goal after Ty Cousins had opened proceeding with a clinical strike going under the Adamstown keeper beside the right post.
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Crowley's hat-trick took his tally to 20 from 14 game, eight clear of nearest rival and his joint Magpies co-captain Thompson.
Azzurri lost 4-2 to Edgeworth and Magic went down 2-1 to Lambton to get proceeding back on even terms among the top three.
However, the Jaffas are very much looming as a huge threat to defend their title, sitting six points behind Maitland and Charlestown but with four games in hand.
The Magpies and Azzurri sit on top with 29 points from 14 games, Magic is third on 26 points from 13 games and the Jaffas are fourth with 23 from just 10 games.
The Weston Bears are fifth with 20 points from 13 games and are set to play Magic on Sunday at Rockwell Automation Park .
Played in steady rain, Cousins got the Magpies on the board in the 11th minute with a clinical goal played under the Adamstown keeper after he was found in space on the right edge of the box.
Adamstown restored parity shortly before half-time.
Ten minutes after the break, Magpies goalkeeper Paul Bitz made a routine save and then booted a long-ball which played Crowley on side who left two defenders in his wake and beat the keeper one-on-one.
In the 66th minute Crowley made it a double when he deftly played on a strike by Thompson from the right edge of the penalty area.
Adamstown responded in the 69th minute, but the Magpies sealed the match with goals to Thompson in the 81st and Crowley's hat-trick two minutes later.
Maitland runners-up in Women's State Cup
The Maitland Magpies fell at the last hurdle in their Women's State Cup title defence with a 2-0 loss to Charlestown Azzurri in the grand final on Sunday.
The Magpies advanced unbeaten in the qualifying rounds and defeated Mid Coast FC 3-0 in the semi-final.
Maitland are scheduled to take on Mid Coast again this Sunday at Taree.
Ladder: 1. Warners Bay 31 (13 games); 2 Broadmeadow Magic 28 (12); 3 Charlestown 26 points (14); 4 Newcastle Olympic 24 points (13); 5 Maitland Magpies 19 points (12).
