Broadmeadow and Lambton will both get the chance to move within one point of NPLM Northern NSW leaders Charlestown on Wednesday night after taking comprehensive wins over the weekend while Azzurri lost to Newcastle Olympic.
Kale Bradbery produced a hat-trick as Jaffas thrashed Lake Macquarie 7-0 at Macquarie Field and Magic downed Adamstown 4-0 at Adamstown Oval on Sunday in a round of catch-up games.
Bradbery scored in the seventh, 26th and 77th minutes. Jaffas held a 5-0 advantage at the break after James Virgili (18th, 33rd) bagged a first-half brace and Tom Waller (80th) completed the rout.
Jacob Dowse put Magic 1-0 up from the spot in the second minute at Adamstown Oval. Jordan Jackson made it 2-0 with a leaping header in the 69th then Jeremy Wilson (71st) and Bailey Wells (80th) also got on the scoresheet.
The results moved both sides to 29 points, one behind second-placed Maitland (30) and within four of Azzurri.
Charlestown stayed on 33 points atop the standings after going down 1-0 to fifth-placed Olympic (27) at Lisle Carr Oval on Saturday.
Kent Harrison struck in the 69th minute for Olympic, who back up on Tuesday night against Melbourne City at No.2 Sportsground in the Australia Cup round of 32.
Azzurri finished the game with 10 players after Jackson Frendo was sent off in the 88th minute for two yellow card offences.
Olympic coach Joel Griffiths described it as an important win ahead of what will be a huge night for the club on Tuesday.
"It was a bit scrappy but the boys did what they needed to do and got the job done," Griffiths said.
"The confidence is pretty high within the group. I think teams are finding it hard to break us down at the moment, which is quite pleasing. I know we can score goals but last year I felt like we were conceding way too much and we were always chasing the game.
"Now we've just got to focus on Tuesday."
Lambton play Cooks Hill at Arthur Edden Oval on Wednesday night and Magic battle Valentine at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility.
Valentine will chase their fifth win in a row after coming from behind to beat Cooks Hill 2-1 at Fearnley Dawes Athletics Track on Saturday.
The hosts took a 1-0 lead in the 23rd minute after Phoenix conceded an own goal off a corner. But Ryan Clarke scored in the 27th then Nicholas Martinelli in the 85th minute to secure the three points. Cooks Hill's Sam Webb was red-carded in the 63rd minute for two yellow card offences.
Edgeworth (25) jumped ahead of Weston (23) after they beat the Bears 2-1 at Rockwell Automation Park on Sunday.
Sascha Montefiore gave the Eagles the lead with a header in the 47th. Will Bower made it 2-0 with a penalty in the 81st then Moustafa Mohammed pulled one back for the hosts from the spot in the 84th.
The Bears played around 50 minutes with 10 men after centre-back Nathan Morris was red-carded in the 40th minute.
Points: Azzurri 33, Maitland 30, Magic 29, Lambton 29, Olympic 27, Edgeworth 25, Valentine 25, Weston 23, Cooks Hill 12, Lake Macquarie 7, Adamstown 2.
