SUPA IGA NPL NSW Mens 2 Round 9 Preview

There are a number of key match ups as the SUPA IGA NPL Mens 2 competition kicks off this weekend with round 9 set to be a blockbuster feast of football.
Mount Druitt Town Rangers v Bankstown Berries Saturday 7pm Popondetta Park, Emerton
Mount Druitt Town will be cock-a-hoop after gaining their first win of the season last Sunday and their confidence will surely be much improved as they take on Bankstown Berries this weekend. They will certainly need to be at their best as the Berries themselves had an excellent win last round and are just three points off the top, those constant draws seemingly now a memory.  
It was perhaps not a surprise that Rangers did so well last Sunday, despite their current league position, as they gave the Premier League’s Sutherland Sharks a run for their money in the Waratah Cup so maybe they have started to turn the corner. This could be a tricky one for the Berries as a result, so while they will certainly be the favourites, they won’t want to take it lightly.
Fraser Park v Spirit FC Saturday 7pm Fraser Park, Sydenham
This match is shaping up as particularly important for both clubs following some mixed recent results but as last start winners, Fraser Park and Spirit will take an increase in belief into this match. A win for either will keep them within touching distance of the five but a loss will make it just that little bit harder to retain contact with the top half.
Spirit’s Rob de Ceglie put his side’s midweek victory over Bankstown City down to a sturdier and a more compact defensive formation, and those changes certainly paid dividends. The win was only their second of the year but the Spirit squad certainly suggests that more such victories should follow. Fraser Park also promised much at the start of the season but have been inconsistent results wise. The win over Uni was important to say the least and the Fraser Park faithful will be wanting more of the same come Saturday.
Mounties Wanderers v Macarthur Rams Saturday 7pm, Cook Park, Mt Pritchard
These two clubs have somewhat of a history and there will be plenty at stake when they meet on Saturday. With Mounties having now played their own rescheduled game, it leaves Macarthur with a match in hand on those at the top, a win at which would elevate them to outright first. That makes this game all the more important as a good result here for the Rams could see a change in leadership before too long.
Mounties will need to regroup following a win and a draw at their last two games, that after five wins in a row, and will be without defender Alvin Singh, sent off on Tuesday. With Daniel Willoughby also out for a large part of the remaining season, there will be some reshuffling out on the right. Peter Day would be most likely to gain a starting berth.
Macarthur Rams also have had to make changes, following Peter Halstead’s permanent return to New Zealand. How each side copes with these early season team changes may determine who comes out on top here.
Parramatta v Sydney University Sunday 3pm, Melita Stadium South Granville
Parramatta suffered their worst loss of the season last Sunday and will look for an immediate return to winning ways when Sydney University travel to Melita Stadium this weekend. After such a fine performance against Bankstown City the week before, it was a surprise to see the Eagles comprehensively beaten last round but, even so, any side that can demolish the Lions 5-0 need to be watched. They will have to make a change with Wand Jajaw out suspended and it is likely that Niram Kanoun will earn a start in his place.
University had an inconsistent week. They knocked the Berries out of the cup by the tune of 4-1 but then didn’t reproduce that on Saturday, going down to Fraser Park at home. With just the one league win so far, Uni will need to start picking up some victories pretty soon before the top half of the table break even further away.
Northern Tigers v Bankstown City Sunday 3pm, Mills Park, Asquith
It is quite remarkable to consider where these two clubs are currently. The Tigers and Lions were the standouts last season and were expected to lead the way again in this, but after winning their first two matches and sharing the competition lead early, it has been inconsistency ever since. Bankstown have not won since round two and Northern Tigers have lost their past three. While there were some changes to the respective squads, the majority remain and it is a conundrum indeed which must be causing Jason Eagar and George Nohra much concern.
It would be a surprise if the wins did not start to come again very shortly but clearly someone’s anguish will continue after Sunday, at least for another week. Maybe the home advantage will come to the Tiger’s aid, as they generally shine at Mills Park, the Berries notwithstanding.
Bankstown City certainly have the quality to win matches, but the results will have to be forthcoming very soon if they intend to play a part in the premiership outcome this season.
Hills Brumbies v St George Sunday 3pm, Blacktown International Sports Park, Doonside
Hills Brumbies are on a roll at the moment, taking four points from six after two difficult away fixtures and they will attack this game with growing confidence after such good results. Currently in the top half of the table, for the first time since gaining promotion two seasons ago, Hills are proving to be a tough competitor, as Mounties found on Tuesday night, and it is likely it will be more of the same come Sunday. They have worked very hard to be where they are and having achieved some great results, Hills will make sure that St George does not take anything for granted when they visit on the weekend.
The Brumbies have their eye on a top five finish, as do St George, so this should be a good contest, with pace on both sides. The Saints continue to score freely, only Spirit keeping them goalless in ten league and cup matches, so Hills can expect a tough workout at the back. The centre back pairing of Will Thom and Glen Downey, who kept Mounties scoreless, will need to perform once again.
Mounties Wanderers v Hills Brumbies
Rescheduled Round 5
The good recent form of Hills Brumbies continued on Tuesday when they came away from Cook Park with a well-earned point against the league leaders Mounties Wanderers.
They may well have snatched the win late on too, had it not been for the excellent goalkeeping from Ali Akbal. But it was a night for the keepers, as Akbal, along with Brumbies’ custodian Nenad Vekic, looked safe all night and rarely, if at all, looked likely to slip up. 
It was Akbal who was called into action first, tipping away a sharp header from Brumbies following a corner, but apart from that one test, neither keeper were unduly challenged during an even first half. 
Things had not looked too bright for Hills right at the start, with Lord Darkoh having to be replaced after just ten minutes, having being collected by Alvin Singh, who earned himself a yellow card in the process. One that was to prove costly as the night closed. The quick Brumbies defender, who had been tasked with the job of keeping Mark Symington under wraps, was substituted by Keunike Maralit, returning after having served a four week suspension. The equally quick Maralit, though, was more than an adequate replacement.
Symington himself was out on the right, in place of the long term injured Daniel Willoughby, but it was still down the flanks that Mounties liked to attack.  Symington and Eli Squillacioti, on the left, were always looking to create that dangerous cross, though the Brumbies were generally solid.
Only at the start of the second half, did it look like they may concede. Mounties had started the second period with a lot of purpose, causing some scrambling in the Hills backline and for ten minutes, the Brumbies were under the pump. But they survived, and made Akbal earn his keep in return, as he was forced into two quick saves in succession.
Both sides made changes as they searched for what they would expect to be a winner, Klime Setkukoski, Matt Viera and Jason Naidovski all came on for Mounties, while Brad Robertson and Michael Noro had their turn for Hills. Robertson came closest of them all, Akbal just turning his shot away for a corner.
But it remained 0-0, an excellent point for Hills following their win at Jensen Park last weekend. Mounties increased their lead at the top to two points, but the night was tarnished when Singh was given a second yellow card for a late foul, deep into injury time.
Mounties Wanderers 0 v Hills Brumbies 0
Tuesday 14 May 2015
at Cook Park, Mt Pritchard
Mounties: 22. Ali Akbal 25. Alvin Singh 16.Scott Goodwin 18. Mark D’Alessandro 29. Jake Ingle 14. Mark Symington 17. Daniel McCann (c) 27. Daniel Severino 8. David Gardner (9. Matt Viera 60’) 11. Eli Squillacioti (19. Jason Naidovski 87’) 4. Greg Baldock (24. Klime Setkukoski 59’).
Subs not used: 5. Peter Day
Yellow Cards: Alvin Singh
Red Card: Alvin Singh 93’
Coach: Aiden Desmond/Glen Lockhart.
Hills Brumbies: 1. Nenad Vekic (c) 5. Russell Farrell 3. Glen Downey 17. Will Thom 14. Lord Darkoh (8. Keunike Maralit 15’) 11. Jeffrey Issa 16. Wade Giovenali (15. Bradley Robertson 60’) 4. Jovan Miladinovic 6. Omar Saadi 19. Ryan Blaker 9. Dragan Savic (12. Michael Noro 75’). 
Subs not used: 7. Paul Down 20. Daniel Sadaka.
Yellow Card: Jeffrey Issa
Coach: Mark Abi-Arrage
Spirit FC v Bankstown City
Rescheduled Round 5
Wednesday 15 May 2013
Two second half goals helped Spirit to their second win of the season but added further worries for Bankstown City, who have now gone six games without a win.
Spirit took the lead when Alistair McKie’s freekick snuck under the Lions keeper and doubled the score in the final moments after Henry Wells got on the end of a Ben Simpson cross.
After having conceded some soft goals recently, the tighter and experienced Spirit backline was the catalyst for the win, the three points moving Spirit above Bankstown City, into seventh spot on goal difference.   
Spirit FC 2 (Alistair McKie, Henry Wells) v Bankstown City 0
-By Peter Rowney