State League Division 1 Round 9 Preview

Cook Park at Mt Pritchard hosts the pick of the round as Mounties FC play Blacktown Spartans on Saturday night at 7-30pm in a real blockbuster.
The home side won 3-2 in a close game against UNSW in a midweek catchup, and are now just two points off the Spartans, who are sitting first in the competition ladder.
Blacktown will be without their prolific marksmen, Wand Jajaw and Daniel Cornett, and will have to find goals elsewhere if they are to remain on top.
Mounties have steadily climbed up the ladder to be within striking distance of the leaders, so expect some real fireworks in this match.
Hills Brumbies will have their work cut out when they welcome Schofields Scorpions to Second Ponds Oval on Saturday, in a match kicking off at 7-30pm.
Hills have the worst defensive record in Division One after eight rounds, and won?t relish facing the best attack in the division, that of the Scorpions.
Schofields will be looking to keep winning to put the pressure on the sides near them at the top, but Hills are desperate to return to the winner?s circle, and are desperate for the three points, so it makes for an interesting clash.
Dulwich Hill return to Arlington Oval Saturday evening at 7-30 to tackle the in form Fairfield City Lions.
Dully remain the only unbeaten side in the Division, and again will prove a force at home, hoping their defensive platform will see them through to another three points.
But write off Fairfield City at your peril! They have hit some promising form of late, with a big win last weekend vs UNSW, and a midweek draw against Sydney Wanderers, so they will be hoping to continue creeping up the ladder.
Balmain SC got their first three points last week, and will no doubt be hoping for more of the same when they travel to David Phillips Field to take on UNSW. But the home side are still winless themselves, despite some improved results of late, so will be anxious for a victory which will steer them away from the back end of the ladder. See how it all pans out at 3-00pm on Sunday afternoon.
Also on Sunday at 3-00pm, Hurstville ZSC, yet another side without a win, will be hoping to break their duck when they tackle Inter Lions.
The home side have shown some promise of late, but just cannot make the breakthrough they so much desire to crack it for the three points.
Inter Lions will prove a formidable opponent, especially given they are licking their wounds following a midweek Tiger Turf spanking at Marconi. The Lions will no doubt come out firing as they maintain their push towards the head of the competition, so expect a fiery encounter at Hurstville Oval.
The remaining game of the round has been switched to a late kick off, 7-00pm, at Arlington Oval on Sunday evening, and sees a mid table stoush between Stanmore Hawks and Sydney Wanderers.
Both sides are well placed in mid table, an arms length from the bottom pack, and within reach of the top half, so expect both teams to play an attacking brand of football as they attempt to snatch the three points.
Division One
Top Goalscorers -Week Seven
Not too much movement in the scorers chart, as defences seemed to have the order of the day last weekend on the league?s top marksmen. But Steve Biviano moves ominously up the ladder to four goals, grabbing a midweek winner for Mounties against UNSW.
6 ? Glenn McPherson (Schofield Scorpions)
5 ? Daniel Borg (Sydney Wanderers)
4 ? Wand Jajaw (Blacktown Spartans), Daniel Cornett (Blacktown Spartans), Nabil Codmani (Fairfield City Lions), Domenic Dimento (Inter Lions), Wissam Hijazi (Stanmore Hawks), Stiven Kostanic (Hurstville ZSC), Semih Sozer (Fairfield City Lions), Neil Philippou (Dulwich Hill),Steve Biviano (Mounties FC),  Eddie Adam (Sydney Wanderers)

-By Frank Speranza