State League Two Round 12 Preview
Football NSW Men’s State League 2 round 12 is another Saturday fiesta with Hurstville versus University of NSW at St George Soccer Stadium on Saturday evening followed by night games between Prospect United and Hurstville City Minotaurs at William Lawson Reserve and Southern Bulls against Enfield Rovers at Ernie Smith Reserve.
On Sunday afternoon Western Condors host Rydalmere Lions at Calabria Sports Ground. Southern Branch have the bye.
Hurstville FC finally get back on the paddock against a sliding University of NSW at St George Soccer Stadium on Saturday evening (5pm kickoff). Hurstville led the league for 10 weeks before a washed-out game against Rydalmere and the weekend bye forced them to the sidelines as first Prospect and then Southern Bulls moved ahead of them on the table. A frustrated Uni have lost five straight to sit second from bottom and a mountain to climb for the developing squad, although they are third-placed in grade-20. Bizarrely the sides have played out four successive 4-0 results (two victories each, Hurstville’s only wins in their past 11 encounters), but Uni needs to fix its leaky defence (league-worst 30 goals conceded in nine games) to have any chance against a salivating FC (they play the bottom-four teams over the next four weeks).
Batten down the hatches as table-toppers Prospect United meet Hurstville City Minotaurs at William Lawson Reserve on Saturday night (7pm). Five straight wins have Prospect top of the pops with a league-high nine different scorers netting 25 times in 10 runs (10 goals in their last two games). Hurstville also have multiple strikers in the ranks with eight Minotaurs penning their names on this season’s scoresheets to suggest this weekend’s battle could be an offensive showdown. The combatants have shared their state league confrontations, four wins apiece and two draws including a 2-2 stalemate at St George Stadium in April, but on United’s shoulder are ensuing fixtures against Bulls, Lions and Hurstville FC… just to add some more spice.
A rising Western Condors host finals rivals Rydalmere Lions in a big match at Calabria Sports Ground on Sunday afternoon (3pm). Fourth-placed Lions head Condors by a point on the table with this result having huge implications on the dash home to the post-season. Both sides are guilty of patchy form but Rydalmere’s won three straight while Western’s won once in six outings, and they’ve only won once at home all season – Lions have three from four away wins. Interestingly the clubs played out four consecutive draws before Lions (Fairfield City) won a spicy 2013 preliminary final 4-1, Condors making amends with a spirited 2-1 win at Rydalmere Park earlier this year.
Southern Bulls welcome Enfield Rovers to Ernie Smith Reserve for yet another Saturday night blockbuster at ‘The Pen’ (7pm). Bulls have dropped just one of their last seven games to charge into second spot, and they can thank a solid defense that’s offered a miserly five-goal concession in 10 matches for their lofty position. On the flipside it’s now or never for limbo Rovers and though Enfield have done alright on the road this winter, wining two from three outings, they walk into an Ernie Smith cauldron – no-one’s beaten Southern there in four league tries. Bulls beat Rovers 1-0 at the same venue last season and faired even better in a 4-1 win over Enfield in their round-three clash.
