State League Two Round 9 Preview

This should be a terrific match as it pits two teams against each other who have no history and both are riding a mini wave of euphoria, Nepean after winning their first competition game last week (1-0 at Bathurst) and Northbridge with their solid mid-table debut. The northerners are yet to win on the road this year while Nepean would love to show victory to their home faithful for the first time following Tuesday?s success over the mountains.
Prospect United take on Fairfield Wanderers in a humdinger at William Lawson Reserve on Saturday evening (5pm). Wanderers took second spot on the table from Prospect after United suffered their first loss of the season on Tuesday (1-0 at Luddenham) and Fairfield beat Chopin Park 1-0. The sides traded home wins last year but Prospect might recall a 8-0 thrashing at the hands of old Colo Colo in 2009, but this time around United have the league?s best defence on their side with a paltry four goals conceded in seven games. A Wanderers win would negate third-placed Prospect?s game-in-hand and keep the pressure on Luddenham.
Springwood United welcome competition frontrunners Luddenham United to Summerhayes Park on Saturday night (7pm) for a big game under lights. Springwood would love to topple the division two giants and stay at the front half of the table but they will need to find a way to stifle Luddenham?s deadly strikeforce. Luddenham also waltz the matilda on the road with three away wins already in the swag with the jumbucks, so the home side is definitely in for a real test of its abilities. They do hold onto a slight historical edge with Springwood winning two of their last three contests, but they fell 1-0 to Luddenham at Summerhayes in their last meeting.
Chopin Park Rams host Roosters in a mouth-watering affair at Chopin Park on Sunday afternoon (3pm). Roosters flew into the top-five coop following an 8-0 plucking of Gazy last Tuesday while the Rams were fleeced 1-0 by Fairfield at home, but both sides have the personnel and club spirit that always makes these contests difficult to decipher. The Rams have only lost one of their five home games and will be determined to avoid a third successive defeat to maintain its healthy start to the year. Roosters won?t want to make the mistake of expecting another whitewash.
Hawkesbury City takes aim at Gazy Lansvale in another tough game for the south-west Sydney outfit at Cherrybrook Park on Sunday afternoon (3pm). Gazy are bottom of the table with 30 goals scored against them in eight games. Roosters hammered them 8-0 on Tuesday and they now face a City side who are on the warpath and looking to stay in touch with the leaders. Lansvale have taken three of their last four contests against Hawkesbury, including 4-0 and 3-0 wins at Cherrybrook over the past two years, but they will need to dig deep to have any chance this Sunday.
Hurstville City Minotaurs face Bathurst ?75 in a crunch game at Punchbowl Oval on Sunday afternoon (3pm). For all their woes to start the year equal-bottom side Hurstville are not that badly placed considering they have two catch-up games (against Nepean and Belmore) to play, and they welcome Bathurst at a time when ?75 are struggling to find the back of the net with 11 goals in eight rounds. The Minotaurs have been just as dreadful in front of goal (eight from six matches) and this game could well be decided by the smallest of margins. Hurstville have lost both of their home games this season and Bathurst have lost both of their away fixtures.
Hakoah and Belmore Hercules go into battle at Hensley Athletic Field on Sunday night (7pm) with the respective reward in stark contrast with each other. Hakoah have enjoyed a reasonable start to the year, particularly in lieu of the fact that they finished last in 2010, and another good showing this weekend will keep them on the backs of the leaders. Belmore have struggled to get going this year and can?t afford to drop too much further off the pace. History will comfort Hercules as, when the roles were reversed last year, Hakoah still managed to belie its basement position and persevere for two score draws (3-3 and 2-2).
Round 2 of the Waratah Cup knockout also starts next week with a record seven division two clubs still in the running. On Wednesday night (May 4), Hawkesbury City hosts Northern Beaches association side Collaroy Cromer at Bensons Lane Field (6.30pm kickoff), Bathurst ?75 visits State League 1 outfit Schofields Scorpions at Penrith?s CSI Sports Ground (7.15pm), Gazy Lansvale meets Illawarra Premier League team Picton Rangers at Cherrybrook Park (7.15pm), and Chopin Park Rams welcome Gladesville-Hornsby association representatives Eastwood-St Andrews at Bensons Lane Field (8.15pm).
A day later (Thursday, May 5), Hakoah takes on Illawarra Premier League powerhouse Dandaloo FC at Hensley Athletic Field (7.15pm kickoff). There will be two more round-two games featuring division two outfits the following week (Wednesday, May 11), with Northbridge FC clashing with fellow northern districts club Super League?s Spirit FC at Christie Park (7.15pm), while Fairfield Wanderers also meet a northern traveler in Super League side Northern Tigers at Knight Park (7.15pm).
-By Daniel De Nardi