State League Two Round 10 Preview
State League 2 round 10 features some more interesting match-ups, starting with Saturday evening’s game between University of NSW and Schofields Scorpions at David Phillips Field (5pm kickoff).
Schofields still haven’t put together a full 90-minute game but are improving with each ball kicked. They face a football-starved Uni side languishing at the table foot having played just four games in the opening 10 weeks. History’s on Uni’s side having won four straight division one against Schofields, including 2-1 at David Phillips last year and a mesmerising 5-3 victory in their most recent encounter (at the CSI Ground last July).
State League 2 sharpshooters Hurstville FC and Fairfield City Lions meet for a top-three Sunday afternoon gunfight at Hurstville Oval (3pm), and the two combatants won’t be short on firepower as 22 players across both squads have already scored this season. Both are biting from recent four-game win-streaks shattered by the Stanmore juggernaut and keen to boot their way back into form, a 1-0 win to Fairfield at Hurstville Oval last year the only time in their eight meetings where less than three goals were scored, the teams piling on a staggering 34 goals in the previous seven. The Lions have won three straight against FC.
Southern Bulls square-off with Western Condors at Ernie Smith Reserve on Sunday afternoon (3pm) in what used to be the local derby (when the Bulls were based at Fairfield and the Condors flew as Wanderers). But a developing Ernie Smith Reserve is the perfect setting for a contest between two sides looking to establish a top-three footing. The ‘neighbours’ haven’t met since their division two days, Fairfield Bulls whopping Colo Colo Wanderers 4-0 in 2009 before trading 2-0 victories at Knight Park in 2010 when the Bulls went on to claim the premiership-championship double and gain promotion to state league one.
High-flying Stanmore Hawks welcome Belmore United for an Arlington Oval grudge match on Sunday afternoon (3pm). The ‘derby’ is always a hotly contested affair (although they haven’t played an official one in years) and the fact Belmore coach George Lazarou used to be at the Stanmore helm only soaks more vinegar into the vine leaves. United have won three straight (and booted 11 goals) and remain unbeaten on the road to head into Sunday’s screening full of confidence, but they face a hungry Hawks squadron that’s racked up six wins on the fly (scoring 20 goals) with matches against the competition’s bottom three sides following this weekend.
Enfield Rovers meet a rejuvenated Hurstville City Minotaurs at Pratten Park on Sunday afternoon (3pm) in an interesting basement confrontation. Hurstville’s scored seven goals in two games (losing 3-4 to Belmore and beating Schofields 4-0) to breathe some much-needed life into its faltering State League 2 campaign. Enfield are inching closer to their first win but must patch up their leaky defence (13 goals conceded in the last three outings) as well as find someone who owns a pair of scoring boots (five goals in seven matches).
Southern Branch have the bye but are scheduled to tackle Schofields in a round-three catch-up game at Ison Park on Saturday (3pm). Check the website for confirmation.
-By Dan De Nardi
