State League Two Round 4 Preview

Nepean have played some attractive football this year but need to compete for the full 90 minutes if they want to break their duck against a solid Springwood outfit that has two draws to start the season. A 2-2 draw between United and Hakoah last week will have the mountain men brimming with confidence and Nepean will have to be at their best to beat them.
Northbridge take on highflyers Hawkesbury City at Valentine Sports Park on Saturday night (7pm). Northbridge are winless this season and face an unbeaten Hawkesbury unit that has won both its road games this year. The signs are promising for Joe Haywood?s men, who have scored five goals in the past two games without victory, and they will be keen to impress on home turf for the first time. City must be getting cosy at the top of the leaderboard and will retain top perch with another good showing away from home this weekend.
Bathurst ?75 play a rejuvenated Gazy Lansvale under lights at Alec Lamberton Field on Saturday night (7pm). Gazy were unstoppable in a 4-2 win over Belmore last week but play their first away game this weekend against a Bathurst side that troubled competition leaders Hawkesbury in a tight 2-1 loss at home in round three. Despite a strong start to the season Lansvale manager Safet Alispahic will also be aware that they have only won one of the past three encounters between the two sides, ?75 claiming a 2-1 victory the last time they met at Alec Lamberton Field.
Chopin Park Rams meet Belmore Hercules in what should be a great game at Chopin Park on Sunday afternoon (3pm kick-off). The Rams have endured three consecutive 1-1 draws to start the year, letting slip game-winning situations in all three matches, while Hercules have a win and a draw from three away outings to date and will be keen to take some more points from their early season travelling excursion (Belmore play their first six games on the road). You can bet both teams will be trying desperately to get the win.
A sluggish Hurstville City Minotaurs face pumped-up Prospect United at Punchbowl Oval on Sunday afternoon (3pm). Last year?s beaten grand finalists the Minotaurs have a solitary point to their name after three rounds and meet a Prospect side that drilled four goals past Nepean last week to post their first win of the year. There is extra motivation for United after they lost the 2009 elimination final to Hurstville and, actually, they have not beaten the Minotaurs since a 6-2 thrashing almost two years ago. Hurstville will just be keen to grab their first win in 2011.
Big winners last week Luddenham United and Roosters FC meet at Luddenham Oval for a Sunday afternoon blockbuster (3pm). Luddenham belted Wanderers 4-1 while Roosters snuck up on Northbridge 4-3 in round three to set up a tantalising affair this weekend, and there?s plenty of history to add spice to the match. United pipped Roosters 3-2 in last year?s elimination final to end a three-match winning-streak by Roosters over Luddenham that included an embarrassing 6-2 rout at Mona Park 12 months ago. With Roosters finding a bit of form this will be a match that shows the true character of both sides.
A shellshocked Fairfield Wanderers tackle heavyweights Hakoah in a big match-up at Knight Park on Sunday afternoon (3pm). Wanderers were dreadful in a 4-1 loss at home to Luddenham last week and will want to end their four-week Knight Park run to start the year on a positive with a better showing against a Hakoah side full of stars and confidence. But Hakoah will also have to end a three-match losing sequence to Wanderers if they are to continue their terrific start to the new competition, as if they needed any extra motivation.
It will be a busy week for division two clubs as they start their Waratah Cup knockout campaigns on Wednesday night (March 30). Fairfield Wanderers take on Olympic Eagles at Heffron Park (7.15pm), Hurstville City Minotaurs play Bass Hill at Walshaw Park (7.15pm), Luddenham United tackle Gymea United at Crest Soccer Fields (7.15pm), Northbridge meet Mosman at Christie Park (6.30pm), Nepean host Pacific Hills at Cook Park, St Marys (7.15pm), Gazy Lansvale face Dee Why at Cherrybrook Park (7.15pm), Prospect United welcome Canterbury Association side Enfield Rovers to William Lawson Reserve (7.15pm), Chopin Park Rams visit Lansvale United at Hartley Oval (7.15pm), Hawkesbury City host Glebe Wanderers at Bensons Lane Field (7.15pm), and Springwood United take on Glenmore Park at Summerhayes Park (7.15pm). On Thursday night (March 31) Hakoah play Roosters in a division two derby at Hensley Athletic Field (7.15pm), while Belmore Hercules and Bathurst ?75 have preliminary round byes.
It would be great to see division two sides break past the Cup?s third round (when Premier League clubs enter the fray) this year, with Hawkesbury reaching that mark twice (in 2010 and 2008), while Springwood, Roosters and Prospect were all knocked out in the third round in a productive 2009 tournament.
-By Daniel De Nardi