State League 2 round 17 Preview

It’s all Sunday games for round 17 of State League 2 (3pm first grade kickoffs), Fairfield City Lions play Enfield Rovers at Rydalmere Park, Western Condors meet Hurstville City Minotaurs at Calabria Sports Ground, Belmore United face Schofields Scorpions at Blick Oval, Hurstville FC tackle Stanmore Hawks at Hurstville Oval, Southern Branch welcome University of NSW to Ison Park, while Southern Bulls have the bye.
Fairfield and Southern Bulls play their round-9 game at Valentine Sports Park next Tuesday, July 30 (7.30pm). Uni also tackle Stanmore in a round-3 fixture at David Phillips Field on Wednesday, August 7 (7.15pm), and a round-8 catch-up against Condors at the same venue on Tuesday, August 13 (7.15pm), and a rescheduled round-15 match against Southern Bulls at Ernie Smith Reserve on Wednesday, August 21 (7.45pm).
Hurstville FC and Stanmore Hawks collide at Hurstville Oval on Sunday afternoon (3pm) and the resulting tremor will have repercussions either way. Hurstville have won once in 10 weeks, Stanmore have lost once in 10 games (to Southern Bulls last week). FC only play one team outside the top-five in the run to the finals and need all the points they can get to keep their finals spot. They haven’t been flash against Hawks of late, losing 5-1 in round six to make it 10 goals conceded to Stanmore in their past two encounters. In fact, Hurstville’s only beaten Stanmore three times in 12 meetings.
It’ll be quite a game when Enfield Rovers challenge Fairfield City Lions at Rydalmere Park on Sunday afternoon (3pm). Following a tidy 6-1 over Enfield win back in round six Lions coach Tony Basha predicted a win-less Rovers would “beat some teams this year”. Enfield’s now unbeaten in five outings to send a quiver of terror up the table as they chase an unlikely finals spot (a month ago they were 15 points off the top five, now they’re nine). Fairfield were terrible in a 2-1 loss to Minotaurs last week and will want to regain traction with a tough run home (games against the top seven sides).
Southern Branch meet an emerging University of NSW at Ison Park on Sunday afternoon (3pm) in what promises to be a tactical encounter. As the points table tightens both sides will be keen for the victory, but both have already proven to be difficult to break down – Uni have kept five clean sheets in 10 games and Branch have seven in 13 in a display of discipline and stubbornness. Uni won their round-six match-up 2-0 and could possibly break into the top-five for the first time this season with a repeat performance against third-placed Branch.
Western Condors tackle Hurstville City Minotaurs in a big match at Calabria Sports Ground on Sunday afternoon (3pm). Minotaurs were flying high after an emotional 2-1 win over second-placed Fairfield City last weekend before crashing back to earth with a 1-0 midweek loss to Bulls, and a positive result against Condors might rejuvenate their sluggish 2013 campaign. Western haven’t lost in seven weeks, conceding twice in five games and have a double motivation in chasing a top-three spot while staving off several rivals nipping at their heels. Condors have only won twice at home this winter.
Belmore United play Schofields Scorpions at Blick Oval on Sunday afternoon (3pm). Nine weeks without a win Belmore have been playing good football without reward and a run against win-less Schofields may be just the tonic they need to boost their spirits, and possibly their league standing. United lie eight points behind fifth place and can ill afford to drop many more points, while time is running out for a Schofields side facing a season full of defeats. Belmore won their round-six clash 3-0.
-By Dan De Nardi