Finals contenders Charlestown will not risk midfielder Summer Taube as they look to give a better account of themselves against competition leaders Warners Bay in NPLW Northern NSW this weekend.
The American has more than proven her worth for Azzurri this campaign with nine goals in 16 outings to be the side's leading scorer.
But Taube has been sidelined with a knee injury since July 31 and will not be risked when Charlestown host the Panthers in round 19 at Allen Davis Field on Sunday.
Azzurri coach Niko Papaspiropoulos said Taube has been cleared of any major damage but will return to training for the first time on Thursday night.
"She's been cleared to get back into training but she won't be ready," Papaspiropoulos said.
"I'm sure she'd like to play, but even if there was the possibility that we could allow her to play I don't think it's worth risking her. Hopefully we can have her back the following week."
Charlestown are third on 32 points, two clear of fourth-placed Newcastle Olympic (30) and four ahead of Maitland (28) in fifth with four games to play.
But Azzurri have failed to turn up in two previous encounters with Warners Bay (46 points), who hold a three-point advantage over second-placed Broadmeadow (43) in the race for the premiership. The Panthers were 6-1 winners over Charlestown in round one then 10-1 in round two.
"We know we haven't had the best performances against Warners Bay in the past and the girls are motivated and quite keen to show what they are capable of when they play well," Papaspiropoulos said.
"We're aware of their quality. There's a reason why they're top of the table and I'm sure there is probably a bit of pressure on them because they want the premiership. Finals are in our hands. We want to get every result we can. We want to put in a good performance and show our finals credentials."
** The FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup campaign of Blackalls Park 18-year-old Kirsty Fenton is over after the Young Matildas lost 3-0 to Spain in Costa Rica on Wednesday (AEST).
While Australia did not make it past the group stage, the Newcastle Jets product leaves after scoring a header off a corner in their opening 3-1 win over Costa Rica.
The Young Matildas lost 2-0 to Brazil in their other match.
** Newcastle's Libby Copus-Brown has signed with Lewes FC in the English Women's Championship.
The former Newcastle Jets and Western Sydney Wanderers midfielder headed to England in May after a two-game cameo for Newcastle Olympic in NPLW NNSW.
The 24-year-old announced through Twitter on Tuesday that she had signed with Lewes FC, who profess to be the only club in the world paying their men and women's players equally.
** Three Adamstown players made their first-grade starting debuts in a 7-1 win over New Lambton at Adamstown Oval on Sunday.
They were 16-year-old left-back Tilly Siedel, 14-year-old right-back Tayla Hammond and midfielder Jasmine Seeney, 16.
Sixth-placed Rosebud (20) can't make finals but are looking to finish as high as possible. They play Maitland away on Saturday.
