Women?s Premier League Round 20 Preview

One of the disappointments is that our women?s team is not competing in the Olympic tournament. Nonetheless, we have plenty to keep us occupied in the Football NSW Women?s Premier League with a number of our Matildas showing off their skills on a weekly basis in this competition.
The semi finals of this season?s competition are just around the corner with this year?s finals series promising to be one of the most keenly contested in many seasons. The defending champions, the Illawarra Stingrays will be out to add to their bulging trophy cabinet but face strong opposition from Macarthur Rams and Sydney University in particular. The NWS Koalas are more than capable of repeating their Grand Final appearance of 2011 whilst Manly United FC have shown that they too could cause some surprises once we reach the title deciders.
Round 20 offers us some interesting games where members of the top five will be attempting to maintain their momentum against sides whose only incentive is to improve their standing from mid table down.
Blacktown Football Park is the venue for the Blacktown Spartans v NWS Koalas match.
The Koalas have pulled off some remarkable victories in recent weeks. Coach Gerry Gomez appears to have his side hitting their peak at the right time of the season as they work towards another successful finals campaign.  The Koalas may not have the host of ?name? players who make up squads elsewhere but they do have a team who complement each other with a range of skills and talent. The last fortnight will have The Koalas brimming with confidence.
The Spartans, on the other hand, have had a season that has produced an indifferent set of results. They have been in the bottom rungs of the ladder throughout the season as they?ve struggled to match the league?s leading sides. The last three rounds of the competition offer some opportunity for redemption but there are no easy games, least of all this one against the rampant Koalas.
The Koalas will start hot favourites here and deservedly so.
At Concord Oval Inter Lions meet Sydney University.
In the last few weeks the good ship Inter has been listing in a similar manner to the Titanic after it hit the iceberg. A midweek defeat at the hands of lowly placed Gladesville Ravens was followed by a 9-0 thrashing by the Illawarra Stingrays. With injuries mounting Coach Joe Baldacci has had to call upon his club?s Under 16?s to fill the void and their lack of experience is showing. With Captain Catherine Cannuli likely to be unavailable for the next two matches also Inter really have their backs to the wall.
Sydney University were firming towards competition favouritism a fortnight ago but fame can be fleeting. First they were held to a draw by seventh placed Marconi Stallions, then scored a narrow win over Manly before tasting defeat last weekend against NWS Koalas. None of the lesser performances appear terminal but University will need to restart the engine this week against The Lions. The lethal golden boot of Jenna Kingsley has been quite during the last three matches; a return of Kingsley?s name to the goal scoring list would likely lead to Sydney University returning to the winner?s list here.
Inter Lions will need to improve considerably to cause Sydney University any headaches in this game.
The Southern Derby between Illawarra Stingrays and Sutherland Shire takes place at J.J.Kelly Park.
The Stingrays may not have had the dominant sort of season we?ve become used to from them but they certainly gave Inter Lions a lesson with a 9-0 win last Sunday. Illawarra still have the talent to mount a successful defence of their title but they?ll need to find some consistency during the finals series. It would certainly be a big boost if they could progress in to week one of the finals with a string of wins behind them. There?s no reason they can?t make it two in a row against Sutherland.
Sutherland Shire have had a reasonably successful fortnight with a 2-0 win over Inter Lions being followed by a 2-2 draw with Gladesville Lions. They will back up here after their midweek assignment against the NSWIS side; a game that proved a less than pleasant experience for The Shire girls. Sutherland generally manage to produce a competitive performance against their nearest neighbours but Illawarra aren?t likely to be in a charitable mood on Sunday.
The Stingrays have plenty to play for, Sutherland don?t. That in itself may be a telling factor.
The Gladesville Ravens v Northbridge FC match at Peel Park may not be as high profile as matches elsewhere but its importance is not lost on either of the two sides doing battle.
The 2012 season has been a big learning curve for The Ravens but their last two matches would have provided some belated joy. A narrow win over Inter Lions, followed by a fighting 2-2 draw with Sutherland Shire saw Gladesville pick up four valuable points in the last ten days. No, it won?t suddenly catapult the Ravens in finals contention but it will give them some impetus as they face the last three weeks of competition. The Gladesville girls will be hopeful of continuing their run against the last placed Northbridge.
This game probably presents Northbridge?s best opportunity to gain their first win of the 2012 season. Through their most recent list of defeats Northbridge have provided a competitive edge before succumbing to more fancied opponents. If they can put two halves of solid football together here then anything is possible.  Can they find that little bit extra come Sunday?
This may end up being the most hotly contested match of the day. Sentiment will be with Northbridge but sentiment doesn?t win games of football.
Fortress Pluim Park hosts the clash between Central Coast Mariners Academy and Manly United FC.
One side is preparing itself for finals football, the other has put together an impressive run of football that?s stretched over a number of weeks.
Central Coast Mariners Academy had successive wins over Gladesville Ravens and Northbridge FC before leaving Marconi Stadium with a share of the points last weekend. They?ve moved to a credible eighth on the competition table with Marconi within reach only three points ahead. Obviously Central Coast have the desire to finish their season in the highest position possible; the sky is the limit for them in the remaining weeks of the competition.
Manly United FC suffered losses to Sydney University and NWS Koalas prior to a 5-0 win over Blacktown Spartans last Sunday. Whilst their finals place is safe the Manly girls need to find the spark that will see them last past the first week of the competition deciders. When everything clicks into place for Manly they can plays some attractive football. This weekend?s game will be tight but Coach Grant Lee will be looking for his girls to make a statement to the other contenders with a solid win.
There won?t be much between these two sides. Central Coast are playing with plenty of spirit but Manly aren?t in the top five through good fortune; they can play!
Macarthur Rams and Marconi Stallions will have a 5pm kick off for their match at Lynwood Park.
The Rams keep firming towards favouritism for the title double as they sweep all before them. The fact they?ve now added a world class striker to their squad won?t harm their chances either. Leena Khamis started her season with a brace last weekend; now she?s actually been introduced to a few of her team mates and ditched the jet lag anything could happen on Sunday. The Rams have an imposing look about them and won?t be taking any backward steps as they steam towards the finals.
Marconi?s struggles this season have been uncharacteristic. Yes, they?ve had their run of injuries that have robbed them of some very influential players. However, some of their most consistent players of recent seasons have failed to fire in 2012 leaving The Stallions mid table instead of in the heady heights most expected from them this season. Nothing would give them greater pleasure than to upset The Rams on their home turf.
These two sides have had some great battles over the years. This season has seen the two teams endure vastly different fortunes. Marconi will need to lift considerably if they hope to test the Rams.
Give yourself an Olympic break this Sunday. Escape from the countless replays of medal winning performances by our talented athletes and instead watch some other finely tuned sports stars in action. The Football NSW Women?s Premier League will provide you with football fix that will keep your adrenalin pumping.
See you at a ground this Sunday.
-By Ross Anderson