Flynn Goodman stepped in for an injured James Thompson to score a hat-trick and help send Maitland into the NPL men's NNSW grand final with a 4-1 comeback win over Broadmeadow at Cooks Square Park on Sunday.
The Magpies, two weeks after clinching the premiership, lost Thompson to a nasty ankle injury at training last Tuesday and were staring down the barrel of a 2-0 deficit after 27 minutes in the major semi-final.
A penalty miss from Broadmeadow then proved a turning point as Goodman and gun striker Braedyn Crowley lifted the Magpies into the October 2 decider at No.2 Sportsground. Magic move into a preliminary final against Lambton Jaffas, who beat Newcastle Olympic 2-0 on Saturday at Edden Oval.
Magic led in the 17th minute when Jayden Stewardson slid in at the far post to score off a cross from Will Ingram.
In the 27th minute, Magic's Damon Green went down under pressure from Adam Blunden and Will McFarlane, and was awarded a penalty. However, Green blasted his shot over the crossbar.
The Magpies made Magic pay, equalising in the 44th minute when Goodman tapped in after Lachlan Webb's shot was blocked.
Ingram had a one-on-one shot saved in the 52nd minute and again Maitland rubbed salt in the wound. Two minutes later, Goodman scored from the penalty spot after Crowley, put in behind by Webb, was taken down by keeper Ben McNamara.
Broadmeadow pushed hard for an equaliser but desperate Maitland defence kept them at bay before Crowley finished a great run and through-ball from Tyrell Paulson in the 81st minute. Goodman then shot on the turn at a goalmouth scramble in the 83rd for 4-1.
Maitland coach Mick Bolch said "everyone stood up" in the absence of Thompson, who has 14 goals this year in an amazing combination with Crowley (28 goals). Bolch rated Thompson a "60 per cent" chance of playing in the decider.
"He's weight-bearing, he can hop on it, so our plan is he'll be back for the grand final," Bolch said. "If not, the boys showed today we've got plenty of boys to step in and cover the gap.
"I don't think we lost anything with Flynn up front with Braedyn. Flynn's that X-factor. His last four or five weeks have been really, really good for us."
Coach Damian Zane rued Magic's missed chances.
"We lost 4-1 and I felt we blew it," Zane said. "If we go 2-0 up, [from the penalty] we're not losing, as simple as that. They've got to chase the game and we're in control and we manage it.
"Then Will has a one-on-one and misses, and they go straight up and get a penalty. We just didn't own the big moments, and that's at both ends. And at 2-1, we had a few chances, and they were just a bit more desperate at both ends than us."
On Saturday, second-half goals from Ben Hay and Kale Bradbery gave Jaffas the win.
Hay knocked in the opener from close range in the 52nd minute after Mitch Rooke's corner was headed towards goal by Reece Papas. Jaffas had hit the woodwork from the preceding corner.
The post denied Vince Unie an equaliser in the 63rd minute before Bradbery put Lambton in control with a top-class strike in the 74th. Bradbery curled his shot from the top-left edge of the 18-yard box inside the right post.
