Broadmeadow seized the outright lead in NPLW Northern NSW with a 6-0 win over Mid Coast in Taree on Saturday night while Warners Bay ended Maitland's unbeaten start to the season.
Magic, who remain the only undefeated team after six rounds, improved to 15 points as the Panthers joined the Magpies on 12 points and took second place on goal difference.
Adriana Konjarski gave Warners Bay a 1-0 lead in the 36th minute at John Street Oval before Jets striker Tara Andrews scored in the 51st and 56th minutes to seal the 3-0 victory.
Warners Bay's only loss in five outings has been 3-2 to Magic while Maitland had accounted for Mid Coast (4-0), Newcastle Olympic (5-0), Charlestown (3-2) and Adamstown (7-5) before succumbing to the Panthers.
Maitland welcomed the return of captain and strike weapon Sophie Stapleford as well as goalkeeper Imogene Tomasone, who had missed the previous outing through illness, but were without dynamic midfielder Sophie Jones due to a hamstring complaint.
Maitland coach David Walker was disappointed with the scoreline but not the performance after the visitors looked the more likely to score in the opening 30 minutes of the match without reward for their efforts.
"I think the girls deserved more than that from the game but they executed well for the most part," Walker said.
"We were probably a little bit slow at the start of the second half but the first half wasn't far from where we wanted to be except we didn't quite capitalise in front of goal like we have previously."
The opening goal came against the run of play. Goalkeeper Ally Boertje had wrapped up the ball after a Maitland attack into the box. Her kick was headed on by Andrews in the middle of the park and Konjarski beat the defence to the ball then cleverly chipped an advancing Tomasone.
"That's probably a single moment that is evidence if you don't put the ball in the net when you've got the opportunity, someone else will," Walker said.
"As far as the football is concerned, Maitland were excellent so I'm disappointed the points aren't there but not from the performance or where that continues to build or take us."
Warners Bay found the back of the net on three other occasions only for those goals to be disallowed but it was the defensive effort Panthers coach Craig Atkins was especially pleased with.
"Maitland had their chances but we fought in defence and got our bodies on the line, so to walk away with a clean sheet is very impressive," Atkins said.
There were six different scorers as Magic overpowered Mid Coast. Jordan Evans opened the scoring in the 12th minute then Magic led 3-0 at the break after centre-back Kalista Hunter found the back of the net in the 25th and midfielder Nadja Squires converted from the penalty spot in the 36th.
Lucy Kell (70th), Lucy Jerram (72nd) and Kirstyn Antoni (90th) all got on the scoresheet in the second half.
Newcastle Olympic beat Adamstown 4-1 at Darling Street Oval on Sunday.
They led 4-0 at half-time after Georgia Little (4th), Keea Parrish (11th and 45th) and Georgia Amess (24th) all scored in the first period.
Brianna Trappett pulled one back for Rosebud when she scored from a tight angle in the 59th.
The result moved Olympic to fourth on six points while Adamstown (6) dropped to fifth.
The New Lambton-Charlestown match, scheduled for Arthur Edden Oval on Sunday, was postponed due to a wet ground.
Points: Magic 15, Warners Bay 12, Maitland 12, Olympic 6, Adamstown 6, Azzurri 6, Mid Coast 0, New Lambton 0.
