NSW State League Division One Preview
Blacktown Spartans ? Balmain SC
7-00pm, Saturday, July 24 @ Francis Park No.2
Saturday night kicks off Round 19 of Division One with the clash at Francis Park between Blacktown Spartans and Balmain SC.
The Spartans came unstuck in a seven goal thriller last weekend against Fairfield, and will be hoping for a return to the winner?s list in front of their home fans.
Balmain, on the other hand, are backing up from a Thursday night 0-3 reverse against UNSW, ironically at the same venue, and will find it difficult to back up after 48 hours against one of the competition?s most feared attacks.
A goal five minutes into injury time by Lorenzo Merlino gave Balmain a point in the first round clash between the clubs ? a result I dare say Balmain would be content with this time around.
Hills Brumbies ? Mounties Wanderers
7-00pm, Saturday, July 24 @ Second Ponds Oval
League frontrunners, Hills Brumbies, entertain the resurgent Mounties Wanderers in an intriguing clash on Saturday evening. The Brumbies just have not let up this season, their consistency impeccable as they have ground out results, keeping opposition teams at arms length all year.
Mounties will be backing up from a 2-0 triumph over Inter Lions on Tuesday evening, Daniel Willoughby grabbing both goals in a result that sees the Wanderers climb into equal fourth position with Schofields on 29 points.
Brendan Mitrovich grabbed the solitary goal of the first round match in the 90th minute to give Hills the spoils, so expect another tight one this time around.
Inter Lions ? Camden Tigers
3-00pm, Sunday, July 25 @ Crest Complex
Inter Lions will be hoping to keep their final aspirations alive when they host Camden Tigers on Sunday afternoon.
Inter?s football has been splendid to watch of late, and it?s not surprising, with experienced campaigners, Leo Carle and Anthony Ucchino, pulling the strings from midfield.
Camden can be a stubborn side to overcome however, and will out for revenge following a 1-3 home reverse against Inter in the first round.
Hurstville ZSC ? Gladesville Ryde Magic
3-00pm, Sunday, July 25 @ Hurstville Oval
Two teams who have shown steady signs of improvement in recent weeks are two teams near the bottom of the ladder ? Hurstville ZFC and Gladesville Ryde Magic.
The Magic managed their third victory of the season last weekend in a 1-0 win over Stanmore Hawks, reward for their improved efforts of late.
Hurstville, on the other hand, are proving no pushovers at this late stage of the season, and have started to find the net in the last few games, so expect more goalmouth action from the home side in this match up.
UNSW ? Schofields Scorpions
3-00pm, Sunday, July 25 @ The Village Green
The first round clash between these sides ended in a thrilling 3-3 draw, and you can expect similar fireworks this time around given both sides have plenty to play for.
The ?students? sit precariously in 11th spot on the ladder, a far cry from last year?s lofty heights, and need three points to kick away from bottom placed Hurstville ZFC to safety.
Luke Andrews? troops did in fact celebrate their second victory of the season on Thursday night, beating Balmain 3-0 at Francis Park, with Lachlan Fogerty (2) and Lee Davelaar grabbing the goals.
The Scorpions on the other hand hold down equal fourth position, and with Mounties, Inter Lions and Stanmore Hawks breathing down their necks, anything short of a win could send them into the midst of the quagmire.
Stanmore Hawks ? Fairfield City Lions
5-00pm, Sunday, July 25 @ Arlington Oval
There are goalscorers a plenty on show at Arlington Oval on Sunday afternoon, when Stanmore Hawks welcome Fairfield City Lions for a later-than-usual 5-00pm kick off.
Stanmore have dropped out of the top five in recent weeks, and their inconsistency may just prove their undoing as they aim to crack a semi final spot in 2010.
Alternatively, Fairfield have kicked into another gear, climbing into second position with some scintillating attacking football.
Both sides boast two top scorers with 24 goals between them ? Wassim Hijazi(14) and Eli Squillacioti(10) for Stanmore, and Yavos Ekinci (15) and Ben Cronk (9) for the Lions, so let?s just see what happens when these sharpshooters go head to head.
Division One Goalscorers
(Round Eighteen)
15 – Ekinci (Fairfield City)
14 – Hijazi (Stanmore Hawks)
12 – Mitrovich (Hills Brumbies)
11 – McPherson (Blacktown Spartans)
10 – Squillacioti (Stanmore Hawks), Macrae(Blacktown Spartans)
9 – Cronk (Fairfield City), Savic (Hills Brumbies),
8 – Smutek (Camden Tigers), Dimento D (Inter Lions)
7 – Pannowitz (Hills Brumbies), Boyd (Schofields), McKie (Gladesville Ryde Magic)
6 – Kabbara (Gladesville Ryde), Polistina (Inter Lions)
5 ? Issa (Fairfeild City Lions), Jeremiah (Fairfield City), Zahra (Blacktown Spartans), Paradisis (Balmain SC), Dejanovic (Hurstville ZFC), Kostanic (Hurstville ZFC), Morgan (Camden Tigers), Davelaar (UNSW)
