SUPA IGA NPL NSW Mens 2 Round 17 Preview
The competition is really starting to heat up with just six weekends of action to go, along with a smattering of midweek games.
With all positions up for grabs, each game has a bearing on how the season will pan out, with some enticing football promised.
With the Futsalroos over in New Zealand during the next week, some clubs have been affected by national team callups, with Mark Symington (Mounties Wanderers), Marino Musumeci (St George), and Daniel Fogarty (Hills Brumbies) all away with the national indoor team.
Parramatta FC V Macarthur Rams Friday 815pm, Melita Stadium, South Granville
With the A-League Allstars v Man Utd match taking centre stage on Saturday night, this game has been brought forward, giving spectators a rare chance to see some Friday night football.
This should be a cracker too, as Parramatta look to encase themselves in the top five and they seem a good chance to do so. They gained an excellent three points against the Berries last weekend and face two of their direct competitors over the next week. Following this Macarthur game, they will then face the Mounties at home next Wednesday, so their fate is largely in their own hands.
The Eagles are just one point behind Mounties, and two behind Northern Tigers with a game up their sleeve, so the table could look quite different in a couple of weeks time should results go their way.
Macarthur lost the leadership last weekend but they will continue to raise a strong challenge for the title, so the Eagles won’t have it all their own way. The Rams will be a little depleted this Friday with Adam Wither and Neftchali Gonzalez suspended after both picked up their fifth yellow card last Saturday, but Joel Craig will be back.
Fraser Park v Bankstown City, Fraser Park, Saturday 7pm, Fraser Park, Sydenham.
It is fast becoming desperate for Bankstown City who have now dropped to tenth on the table, picking up only one point in their past four games. Any remaining hopes for finals football seem to be disappearing at a rapid rate and unless results turn around immediately, the Lions may have to start thinking about next season. There are a host of clubs looking to make the finals, and certainly that fifth spot looks up for grabs at least, so Bankstown will have their work cut out.
Fraser Park are one of those clubs fighting hard. They gained an admirable point at Macarthur Rams last weekend, after a disappointing effort against the Berries the previous midweek. Like the Lions, Fraser can ill afford to drop too many more points, and a top performance at home will be needed to stay in the frame.
Mount Druitt Town Rangers v Sydney University, Saturday 7pm, Popondetta Park, Emerton
Both Mount Druitt Town and Sydney University played on Tuesday night, albeit in matches of varying degrees of importance. Rangers were playing for competition points but came unstuck against the Brumbies while Sydney Uni were enjoying the opportunity of playing Sydney FC in a friendly. While that result did blow out to a 7-1 loss by the full time whistle, Uni were holding Sydney FC to 1-1 for a time, and would have appreciated that experience.
They meet this weekend as residents of the bottom two. This looks to be Rangers’ last chance to avoid bottom spot, a loss here would surely cement their position as the wooden spooners, notwithstanding their remaining games. University are all but out of finals contention but will be playing for a strong finish to the season, nonetheless.
Hills Brumbies v Bankstown Berries, Sunday 3pm, Blacktown International Sports Park, Doonside.
There is plenty of potential here for what might have been considered a shock result, last week. But after going two months without a win, Hills have now won twice in three days and will now face the Berries with a great deal of confidence. Tuesday’s win against Mount Druitt Town Rangers have lifted them to seventh, just one win away from fifth placed Mounties. Admittedly the Brumbies have played two games more than their immediate rivals and perhaps a late run for the finals may be a bridge too far, but expect the Brumbies to push all the way. This season is set to be the Brumbies best at this level since promotion three years ago, and that alone will be a fine achievement.
Bankstown Berries slipped up last week, conceding late to drop all the points against Parramatta. They will want to bounce back here to ensure they keep a hold on a doubles chance in the finals. With so many clubs lingering just behind, there is again little chance for error.
For those heading out to Doonside this Sunday, a double header seems in order. In the Under 20s, the Brumbies and Berries are joint leaders, with Hills only losing their first game of the season on Tuesday night. It looks increasingly likely that the title will be fought between these two clubs so this match will be of vital importance. They are the top scorers with over eighty goals scored between them, so a full afternoon out would seem to be a wise choice.
Spirit FC v St George, Sunday 3pm, Christie Park, Marsfield.
St George regained the league lead last weekend, taking a one point hold ahead of Macarthur Rams, but their intention and desire to win the competition will be fought all the way. Not least by Spirit FC who held the Saints to 0-0 back in round six, one of only two clubs to keep St George scoreless in a match this season. Spirit, after their fine win against Bankstown City last Sunday, will still harbour hopes of finals football and a few similar results like that might just get them there.
The Saints should be close to full strength, their injury returnees coming back just at the right time of the season. The obvious ones for Spirit to look out for will be the front two in Juan Chavez and Sam Messam, who lead the goalscorers charts this season with a combined tally of twenty one, but Spirit’s traditionally tall and strong back four, led by Paul Nicolau, will be up for the task.
Northern Tigers v Mounties Wanderers, Sunday 3pm, Mills Park, Asquith.
Neither of these two would have enjoyed the results from last weekend, the loss of points damaging their finals hopes. They remain fourth and fifth respectively heading into this one, but with the possibility that either could fall out of the five depending on Parramatta’s result on Friday.
Mounties Wanderers took the honours when they last met, racing to an early 2-0 lead for which the Tigers could not fully respond. It may be different this weekend, as the Wanderers have slipped off the pace since then but both clubs seem to be struggling in the goalscoring department at the moment. Mounties have averaged only one goal a game over their past seven matches, while the Tigers, apart from a 4-0 win over a nine man Fraser Park, have scored only four times in six games.
Not a lot of goals likely then, but one without reply will suit the victors.
Hills Brumbies v Mount Druitt Town Rangers
Rescheduled Round 14
Tuesday 16 July 2013 at Popondetta Park
Hills Brumbies 3 (Kuag Reec 2, Eros Bergamin) v Mount Druitt Town Rangers 1 (Hosyar Cakal)
Hills Brumbies moved to the fringes of the five following their second win in three days, with a 3-1 victory over Mount Druitt Town Rangers. It was the second occasion in which Hills gave up their home ground advantage but unlike against the Northern Tigers, this time they came away with the three points.
An early goal to Kuag Reec put the Brumbies in the lead before Hosyar Cakal equalised to make it 1-1 at the break. Eros Bergamin then scored near the hour mark to put Hills back in the lead before Reec, with his second, made it 3-1 with fifteen minutes to go.
It has been a good week for the Brumbies who have suffered with a lengthy injury list, the flipside being that members of their highly rated Under 20s have been given the opportunity to play first grade football. There is certainly room for optimism.
“We are slowly getting there”, said Mark Abi-Arrage, “we were poor against the Tigers the other week but the way we have played the last two games, we have started to turn the corner. We have a big month ahead, with the Berries, Macarthur, Bankstown City and St George, in that order, and if we get some good results there, we could maybe sneak in [to the five]”.
It was not all bright on the night for the Brumbies though, as the Under 20s lost the first game of the season going down 0-1.
-By Peter Rowney
