Women’s Premier League – Round 18 Preview
With only 5 rounds to go in the NSW Women’s Premier League, the fight for the minor premiership and top five positions are no clearer. Four teams are vying for top spot with another four trying to sneak into 5th position.
The action begins at Mills Park on Sunday afternoon at 1pm between bottom placed Northern Tigers and the 10th placed Central Coast Mariners Academy. Neither side has had a good season by any standards and will be looking to perform the best they can to close out the season.
The Central Coast registered their first win since May in a rescheduled game on Saturday afternoon against the Sutherland Shire but then suffered defeat on Sunday. They’ll be looking to win and distance themselves further from the wooden spoon.
The Tigers though are yet to win a game this season and with round 18 upon us this could be the game. A win is imperative for the Tigers if they are to have any chance of avoiding that dreaded wooden spoon.
The last match between these two was a tight affair and the Mariners squeezed through with a tight 2-1 win at home.
At Concord Oval on Sunday at 3pm, the Inter Lions welcome the Blacktown Spartans. In a must win match for the Lions it proves to be an intriguing fixture and one of the matches of the round.
The Lions dropped a half time lead against the league leaders Marconi on Sunday afternoon and for the first time this season they aren’t inside the top five on the competition ladder. They need a victory to get back into the five and if Catherine Cannulli carries her form from the weekend, anything is possible.
The Spartans won’t be easy pushovers by any margin and with them sitting comfortably mid-table they’ll be looking to cause drama’s for any teams fighting to get into the top five. Lately the Spartans haven’t travelled much away from Blacktown Football Park and this could be an issue for them going away to Inter.
The Lions came away with a comfortable 3-0 win back in round 3 away from home and will be looking for much of the same this time.
On Sunday at 3pm Manly United FC welcome the new league leaders the Marconi Stallions at Cromer Park.
Manly still has a slight chance of making finals football and know that only wins until the end of the season will see them have any chance. What ever happens from now on in is out of their hands.
The Marconi Stallions registered a come from behind win last week against the Inter lions to reclaim top spot on the competition ladder. This will be a tough away trip for the Stallions and they know that United won’t be a walk over. The Stallions also have a difficult mid-week match up against the North West Sydney Koala’s to contend with which could have quite a bearing on who finishes a top of the league.
Marconi came away with a 3-1 win against Manly the first time the squads met in Round seven of the competition.
On Sunday at ELS Hall Park at 3pm, the North West Sydney Koala’s take on the Sutherland Shire Football Association with two teams at opposite sides of the table.
The Koala’s lost top spot over the weekend as they could only draw away from home against the Macarthur Rams. This meant that the Marconi Stallions took the mantle from them on goal difference. Even though it should be a routine win, they’ll be weary of the Sutherland side, in particular after their massive mid-week game away against the Stallions on Wednesday night.
Sutherland have had a torrid time of late and this game will not come any easier for the Sharks. With the Koala’s in second place and Sutherland in 11th, they’ll be hoping for any result to push them away from the dreaded last spot and wooden spoon.
The Koala’s comfortably won the last encounter between the two sides with a 9-0 score line.
In possibly the match of the round, at JJ Kelly Park at 3pm, the Illawarra Stingrays welcome Sydney University SFC to their home ground.
Both sides are coming off victories last week and both teams have something to fight for as the season draws to a close.
The Stingray’s have been in good form and after two consecutive draws took a comprehensive victory last week against the Blacktown Spartans. With the minor premiership still up for grabs, the Stingrays know that a victory against University is imperative if they’re to continue their chase on the leaders.
University cracked the top five for the first time since Round 7 with their immaculate 8-0 win over the Northern Tigers and will look to stay there as the season comes to a close.
The spoils were shared last time between these two as supporters were treated to a real spectacle in a six goal thriller with the scores finishing at 3-3.
Another enticing Round 18 fixture see’s Northbridge FC entertain the Macarthur Rams at Northbridge oval on Sunday at 3pm.
Northbridge still have a chance to make the finals and currently are in 6th place on the ladder, equal points with 5th. The giant killers are one of only two teams with a full quota of games and have played more games than their fellow rivals for that all important 5th spot.
The Rams on the other hand, they’re still fighting for the minor premiership and sit four points behind the league leaders Marconi and North West Sydney Koala’s. Any dropped points from now until the end of the season could mean the end of their 1st place aspirations.
The Rams came off a difficult draw against the Koala’s last week whereas Northbridge came off a 2-0 win against the Mariners.
Last time the two met in Round 7, the Rams snuck away from Lynwood Park with a cheeky 1-0 win.