Womens Premier League Round 12 Preview

With round 12 upon us, so come the reverse fixtures for the season.
The race for the title hots up as five teams vie for the Premiership, while others will do their best to give themselves a fighting chance to make the finals series.
The match of the round see’s the third placed Macarthur Rams welcome top of the table Marconi Stallions at Lynwood park on Sunday. This 3pm kick off will prove to be a blockbuster as Marconi will look to extend their lead and create a buffer zone between themselves and the chasing pack. The Rams on the other hand will look to make it two in a row after their hard fought victory over Manly United last week.
It should also be added that Marconi will be unveiling a significant signing during the week. The ex-Matilda returns to her old stomping ground and will look to play her first game of the season for Marconi on Sunday afternoon. Stay tuned later in the week for the announcement.
The Sutherland Shire Football Association host Sydney University SFC at Harrie Denning Centre on Sunday at 3pm. The Sharks, who registered their first win of the season last week, will be looking to Kristina Glisic and Faith Atkins to lead the attack for them and build on last week’s victory.
The sixth placed Sydney University on the other hand, will look to keep pace with the leading pack of teams as they fight for that elusive fifth position that leads to finals football.
Also on Sunday at 3pm, Hills Sports High welcomes the home Northbridge FC and the Inter Lions. Northbridge will be looking for a repeat of last week’s performance as they recorded one of the wins of the season defeating the high flying Illawarra Stingrays. The famous victory will hopefully work as a springboard for the girls as they fight with their lives to play finals football.
The Lions though, will be looking to put a dent in Northbridge’s hopes of finals football by bringing them back to ground after their win. Inter, who currently lie in fifth, will be looking to bounce back after last week’s loss to the North West Sydney Koala’s and get back on track for that minor premiership.
At Mills Park on Sunday at 3pm, bottom placed Northern Tigers take on the wounded Illawarra Stingrays. The tigers are still winless and will be looking to spring a surprise by pushing the Stingrays as much as they can.
Illawarra though, suffered a shock loss last time out against Northbridge and will look to immediately get back in on the winner’s circle with a win against the Tigers. Illawarra has the quality to take the minor premiership and they showed that with victories against Macarthur and the North West Sydney Koala’s.
Also at 3pm on Sunday, the North West Sydney Koala’s take on Manly United FC at ELS Hall Park. Manly will feel aggrieved and hard done by after their loss to Macarthur last week and with their chances of finals football fading they’ll need to get a win this weekend.
The Koala’s are in fine form, and a hard fought victory over the Inter Lions saw them join the Marconi Stallions at the summit of the competition ladder. They’ll look to continue their fight for the minor premiership with a win on Sunday afternoon.
In the early game on Sunday afternoon at 1pm at Pluim Park, the Central Coast Mariners Academy welcomes the Blacktown Spartans. With both teams sitting in the middle of the ladder, they’ll be looking to record important victories to kick start their campaigns.
A glimmer of hope for finals football is still there for the Spartans but time is ticking and nothing but a victory here will see them continue their quest for finals football.
-By Nikola Pozder