NSW Premier League Round 12 Preview
Blacktown Spartans v Marconi Stallions, Saturday 16th of June, 7:00 pm Blacktown Football Park
Last Week:
Blacktown Spartans 2 APIA-Leichhardt Tigers 1
Sydney United 58 FC 1 Marconi Stallions 2
Blacktown Spartans and Marconi Stallions kick-start the second part of the season with the opening Round 12 fixture this weekend at Blacktown Football Park.
The Spartans are riding a positive moment of form with some impressive results in recent weeks, matched by some equally impressive performances.
The visiting Stallions too have shown they are returning to the early season form that saw Luke Casserly?s men hand the Spartans a heavy 4-1 defeat in the opening round of the season, as Joey Gibbs, Jamie McMaster and Daniel Severino are now starting to find consistency in their performances.
Blacktown Spartans have shown their ability to mix it with their more fancied rivals, and the likes of Greg Kondek and Chris Gomez have both lifted their games in the process. Goalkeeper, and captain, Carlos Saliadarre has been in sensational form. The shot-stopper has produced some tremendous match-winning performances in recent weeks, leading by example as the Spartans aim to crack into the top-half of the League ladder.
With both sides coming off positive performances in recent weeks, confidence of a win across both sets of players will be high on Saturday evening.
Bonnyrigg White Eagles v South Coast Wolves, Saturday 16th of June, 7:00 pm Bonnyrigg Sports Club
Last Week:
Bonnyrigg White Eagles 2 Blacktown City FC 1
Sutherland Sharks 4 South Coast Wolves 0
League leader Bonnyrigg White Eagles commences its run in the reverse fixtures with a home tie against South Coast Wolves on Saturday evening. The White Eagles have set the bar in 2012 with a phenomenal run over the opening eleven rounds of the season ? the side holding a nine-point lead over Blacktown City FC and, this weekend?s opponent, South Coast Wolves.
Coach Brian Brown has provided the masterstroke, bringing together a new group of players in 2012 and getting his chargers to gel together successfully. Striker Robert Younis has been in exceptional form, as has striker Harris Gaitatzis who bagged a double in last weekend?s defeat of Blacktown City.
Youthful additions Adrian Ucchino and Nicola Todoroski have played their part in the White Eagles run, as has the tremendous Chris Tadrosse, leading his players on the field with great guidance and true captain?s performances.
The Wolves will need to recoup quickly following the heavy loss at Sutherland Sharks in Round 11. Trevor Morgan?s objective will be to quickly lift his players? morale following the loss, even though the Wolves have this season claimed a number of scalps away from John Crehan Park.
The Wolves will be sweating over the fitness of Cam Littler who was forced to leave the field against the Sharks, meanwhile Mark Picciolini will be an important absentee ? the striker suspended after his red card for dissent.
The weight of expectation will fall on striker Sasho Petrovski to lead by example, though expect the likes of Peter Simonovski and John Martinovski to cause the White Eagles? defensive line some distress during this encounter.
A win for Bonnyrigg could potentially see the side move out to a twelve-point lead, meanwhile a win for the Wolves will keep the South Coast side in the hunt to close in on top-spot in the run home to the finals series.
Manly United FC v Blacktown City FC, Sunday 17th of June, 3:00 pm Cromer Park
Last Week:
Manly United FC v Sydney Olympic (postponed)
Bonnyrigg White Eagles 2 Blacktown City FC 1
Manly United FC finally look like getting their first start on their newly laid artificial surface at Cromer Park. The Northern Beaches side has not played a home match this season, and the run home at Cromer Park could really catapult Manly United FC into finals football contention.
The side enters this encounter following another weekend off due to the re-scheduling of the clash against Sydney Olympic, so Craig Midgley?s men should be fresh and ready for a big showing.
The visiting Blacktown City FC will still be seething after conceding a late goal at Bonnyrigg White Eagles to deny the side a share of the spoils against the League leader. Mark Crittenden?s men have accumulated some important victories in recent weeks, and the form of a number of his troops has been very impressive.
A win for the visitors on Sunday is a must if they are to keep in touch with the leading White Eagles, meanwhile a win for Manly United is imperative for the side to get their long list of home fixtures off to a flying start.
Rockdale City Suns v Sydney Olympic, Sunday 17th of June, 3:00 pm Ilinden Sports Centre
Last Week:
Rockdale City Suns v Parramatta FC (washed out)
Manly United FC v Sydney Olympic (rescheduled)
Both Rockdale City Suns and Sydney Olympic enter the Sunday afternoon encounter at Ilinden Sports Centre fresh after the weekend off due to rain and rescheduling of fixtures in Round 11.
The Suns have proven to be a thorn in the side of many adversaries this season, and with Mark Rudan?s men riding a positive wave of form, the Blues would do well not to underestimate the challenge facing them this weekend.
Rockdale City?s Alec Urosevski and Tommy Cirjak have been in sensational form, as has captain Peter Apolevski who has been tremendous in leading his teammates on the field.
Sydney Olympic?s season can be somewhat defined as a ?stop-start? campaign, thus far. The most recent outings however, against Sutherland Sharks and Bonnyrigg White Eagles, have shown the threat Peter Tsekenis? men possess for all adversaries. The Blues have played some great football, and the goals from the likes of Sam Awad and Chris Triantis will be needed over the second part of the season if the side is going to stand a chance of repeating the emphatic achievements of last season.
A win for either side on Sunday will provide the perfect shot in the arm for the victors to kick-start the run towards finals football.
APIA-Leichhardt Tigers v Sutherland Sharks, Saturday 16th of June, 7pm Lambert Park
Last Week:
Blacktown Spartans 2 APIA-Leichhardt Tigers 1
Sutherland Sharks 4 South Coast Wolves 0
The Tigers and Sharks meet at Lambert Park this Friday with both sides in need of wins to get their respective campaigns moving in the right direction.
APIA-Leichhardt?s performances have been of a high quality, however the side has failed to find consistency across the park to close out matches so far this season. Coincidentally, the Sharks have had similar problems in recent weeks, however the 4-0 shellacking handed out to South Coast Wolves last weekend should provide Robbie Stanton?s men with the confidence that is required to get their season on track.
The Tigers will look at Andrew Bevin to continue finding the back of the net, meanwhile Mark Byrnes and Adel El Jamal will need to keep things tight in defence with Panni Nikas more than capable of terrorising opposition defences.
Sutherland?s defence has lacked the discipline it has demonstrated in recent years following the injury to George Souris. The showing against the Wolves last weekend did appear to iron out a number of the problems witnessed over the preceding fortnight, however the Sharks supporters will be after some confirmation of the positive display with another win this weekend.
With only four points separating the Sharks from the Tigers on the ladder, the victorious side on Sunday will signal their intentions for a Top-Five push.
Sydney United 58 FC v Parramatta FC, Sunday 17th of June, 4:00 pm Sydney United Sports Centre
Last Week:
Sydney United 58 FC 1 Marconi Stallions 2
Rockdale City Suns v Parramatta FC (washed out)
Sydney United and Parramatta FC both need points on Sunday to get their respective seasons back on track. The Reds run of results have been well below par for a side that started the season with huge ambitions of claiming silverware this season.
Jean-Paul De Marigny?s men have somewhat come off the track with losses to Marconi Stallions and Blacktown Spartans over the past fortnight.
The absence of striker Luka Glavas has certainly taken its toll on the side, though the free-flowing football of last season has definitely gone missing.
Parramatta FC?s campaign has been a difficult one, despite the side showing signs of improvement with some positive results.
The trip to Sydney United is not an easy one at anytime of the season, though with the Eagles certain underdogs, Lee Sterrey?s men may well have the perfect opportunity to inflict further heartache to the Reds supporters.
With four points separating Parramatta FC from eleventh-placed Manly United FC ? and eleven matches remaining ? this weekend would be as good a time as any for the side to start claiming points and move its way away from the bottom of the League ladder.
