Mens State League 1 Round 12 Preview
While some teams have faltered in the first half of this campaign, the last few weeks have seen Hakoah and Northbridge leave no doubt as to who the favourites are to win this competition.
This week takes us back to where it all began as the second stage of the season gets underway.
Dulwich Hill FC v Hakoah Sydney City East FC – 3pm Saturday at Garside Park
A heavyweight battle opens the round this week with Dulwich Hill tackling league leaders Hakoah on Saturday afternoon.
Dulwich Hill steadied the ship last week with a 2-0 home victory over Western NSW Mariners, with the win seeing Norman Tome’s men leapfrog Gladesville into 4th position. The home side have good reason to be confident heading into the clash, as they are the only team to have defeated Hakoah this campaign in a 4-3 victory in the opening game of the season.
Hakoah had to dig deep on the weekend to overcome a two goal deficit and defeat Stanmore Hawks 3-2, and the come from behind victory sees Hakoah maintain their 5 point cushion at the top of the league. Look for star man Lloyd Owusu to lead from the front and continue his fine recent form.
Western NSW Mariners FC v Gladesville Ryde Magic – 5pm Saturday at Glen Willow Stadium
Mudgee will host round 12 action when Western NSW Mariners FC welcome Gladesville Ryde Magic.
The Mariners fell 2-0 last week to Dulwich Hill to stay second last on the ladder, but as has been well documented they are a different outfit at home and will be looking to cause an upset on Saturday.
Gladesville come into the clash on the back of two consecutive draws against teams below them on the ladder, and last week’s 3-3 draw with Balmain will particularly disappointing as they conceded two goals in the last 15 minutes. Despite the long trek to contend with, Gladesville can draw confidence from their 3-1 victory over the Mariners in Round 1.
Nepean FC v Inter Lions – 7pm Saturday at Cook Park
A mid table battle takes place on Saturday night when Nepean FC welcome Inter Lions to Cook Park.
Nepean come into this fixture having gained four points in the last week, a 1-0 midweek victory over Camden Tigers was followed up by a 2-2 draw on the weekend against Granville Rage. After looking like they would lose touch with the top half of the ladder a few weeks ago, Nepean is now looking towards a finals place, and a win in this encounter will be a step in the right direction.
Inter Lions campaign so far this season can only be described as inconsistent as there have been some good wins but also some disappointing losses. Inter managed to claim a much needed three points last week by defeating Camden Tigers 3-0, and this game will be the perfect opportunity for the side to put together back to back wins for the first team this season.
Camden Tigers FC v Hawkesbury City FC – 7pm Saturday at Ron Dine Reserve
Two teams desperate for a win meet on Saturday night with Camden Tigers entertaining Hawkesbury City.
Camden come into this game on the back of a 3-0 home defeat to Inter Lions over the weekend, and with the side sitting bottom of the ladder, the season is starting to slip away from the Tigers. Whilst there has been some good play the wins just haven’t come and it’s now or never for the home side.
Hawkesbury certainly haven’t had problems finding the back of the net in recent weeks, but they haven’t been able to stop them at the other end either and find themselves without a win in five games. Last week’s heartbreaking 5-4 defeat against Northbridge leaves the side sitting in 11th spot, and they will need a big performance this week to arrest the current slide.
Stanmore Hawks v Northbridge FC – 3pm Sunday at Arlington Oval
Stanmore came close to claiming one of the upsets of the season last week, going up 2-0 before eventually falling 3-2 to league leader’s Hakoah. Despite a good performance, Stanmore will be disappointed not to have come away with any points, and they will be in for another tough assignment this weekend
Northbridge made it five wins in a row with a thrilling 5-4 victory away to Hawkesbury City, with the epic encounter settled by a late penalty to Lee Jones. With Granville Rage slipping up, the win leaves Northbridge outright second on the ladder and still within touching distance of top spot.
Balmain Tigers FC v Granville Rage – 3pm Sunday at Wentworth Park
Two teams coming off draws meet on Sunday afternoon when Balmain Tigers host Granville Rage.
Balmain kept up their recent momentum with a hard earned 3-3 draw against Gladesville last week. The Tigers scored two goals in the last 15 minutes to claim a share of the spoils and still occupy 6th position on the ladder.
Granville were in early trouble away to Nepean last week before they came back from two goals down to claim a 2-2 draw. After conceding two goals in the opening 15 minutes, the Rage showed good determination to claw their way back and finished the game full of running. Despite the comeback, the draw sees Rage slip to 3rd spot after being overtaken by Northbridge.
-By Diego Munoz
