State League Division 1 Round 3 Preview

No doubt Francis Park No.2 will be emotionally charged as Blacktown Spartans play host to early competition frontrunners, Schofield Scorpions.
Blacktown have picked up four points from the opening two fixtures, and will be hoping to avoid defeat and remain in touch with the leading pack.
Schofield Scorpions are two from two, the only team with a 100% record, and with their lineup including a host of 2008 ex-Spartans ? competition top goalscorer McPherson amongst them – make sure you give yourself plenty of time to get out to Blacktownon Saturday for what surely will be a cracker of a match, kicking off at 7-30pm.
Cook Park will see Mounties FC take on Inter Lions in another beauty, also kicking off at 7-30pm, a real test to see whether the home side are the real deal following their first up win against Stanmore last weekend.
Inter Lions will no doubt prove to be a formidable opposition, especially with their mobility in attack, so be prepared for a game that should go down to the wire.
Arlington Oval will see Dulwich Hill hoping to keep up their early season momentum by attempting to overcome Hills Brumbies in what looks like an intriguing clash, starting at 7-30pm. Dully are a strong proposal at home, and with plenty of experience in their lineup, coach Mark Strachan will be confident of yet another victory.
But Hills Brumbies will be looking to Shrimpton to continue his early season goalscoring exploits, and hope to come away with something from the match.
In the other Saturday evening match, Sydney Wanderers take on Hurstville ZSC at 7-30pm at Hajduk Stadium, with both teams looking for their first win of the season.
The Wanderers played a midweek match vs Balmain, and will hope for no after effects as they look to get their season off and running, whilst Hurstville ZSC will again look to score a couple of goals like they have in their first two games ? but this time hope not to concede so they can muster a win.
There are two games on Sunday afternoon to complete the round of fixtures, with both games kicking off at 3-00pm.
At David Phillips Field, home side UNSW will take on Stanmore Hawks, and will be somewhat confident and searching for a win following their first point last week in a draw against Hurstville.
The visiting Stanmore Hawks have had a concerning start to 2009 with two losses, but both were narrow, and they?d be hoping to get off the mark in what looks like a fierce encounter.
Finally, two clubs that were two divisions apart in 2008 will meet at Norford with ex-Super League Fairfield City meeting ex-Conference League Balmain SC.
The Lions have had a distastrous start to 2009, with two losses, but will take faith from having scored two goals in each game, and will need to focus defensively in order to grab something from this game.
Balmain SC have had two draws from two games, with both matches tight, and will be hoping to make a breakthrough and score their first win since their promotion to Division One.
Footnote ? Midweek Match
Tuesday, March 24
Hajduk Stadium
SYDNEY WANDERERS 1 (Daniel Borg 63?)
BALMAIN SC 1 (Thomas Sowden 18?)
The washed out Round 1 clash between Sydney Wanderers and Balmain SC was played on Tuesday evening at Hajduk Stadium, with both teams scoring their first goal of the season in a 1-1 draw.
It was a game of two halves, with the visitors dominating the first period, and being rewarded with a great goal by fullback Sowden. The defender went on a marauding run, completing a one-two with midfielder Andrews as he slipped into the box and put the ball into the net.
The Wanderers then came out all guns blazing after the break, dictating play and grabbing a goal after an hour when Borg cracked home an equalizer.
Division One
Top Goalscorers -Week Two
4  – Glenn McPherson (Schofield Scorpions)
3 – Nabil Codmani (Fairfield City Lions), Ben Shrimpton (Hills United)
2 – Darko Zoric (Hurstville ZSC), Shane Cevenini (Inter Lions), Peter Antar (Inter Lions), Oliver Pecoul (Stanmore Hawks), Matthew Groth (UNSW), Tuan Cao (Mounties FC)
-By Frank Speranza