NNSW NPL: Maitland Magpies remain second after 1-1 draw with Cooks Hill

A win would have had the Magpies in pole position to claim back-to-back premierships after Charlestown stumbled at Lambton, losing 1-0.

However, Maitland had to settle for a draw after facing a dogged Cooks Hill at Fearnley Dawes Athletic Centre on Saturday afternoon.

The Magpies took the lead in the 13^th minute when Ty Cousins nodded home a Braedyn Crowley free-kick. Cousins had his earlier header hit the cross bar.

Crowley then had his effort in the 26^th minute ruled-out for offside despite loud protests from the Maitland players. Cooks Hill hit-back in the second-half, equalising in the 70^th minute and then had another goal waved away when it looked to have crossed the line.

Maitland coach Mick Bolch said the visitors were made to pay for their wastefulness in front of goal.

"We just let ourselves down a bit in front of goal, we had multiple opportunities to extend the 1-0 lead to a 2-0 lead and never took them and at the end of the day it kept Cooks Hill in the game," he said.

"They were really good you know, they go for 90-95 minutes, they pressed us all day, when they got that equaliser they pressed hard looking for a winner and like I said, they were probably unlucky with the goal that was ruled out.

"But for me it was a day of missed opportunities from us."

In a potential blow for Maitland, centre back Will McFarlane was substituted out of the game in the second-half with concussion symptoms and will be assessed during the week.

The Magpies trail Azzuri by one point and will need results to go their way to finish on top. Maitland host Newcastle Olympic on Saturday, August 5 and are away at Adamstown in the final round.

"If we did our job yesterday we'd be sitting on top of the table today, so now it's the same case that it has been for the last 10 weeks," Bolch said.

"We've just got to win our games and hope another result goes our way next round or in the last round."

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