Mens State League 1 Round 13 Preview
Two local derbies highlight round 13 action this weekend with Stanmore taking on Dulwich Hill in the Inner West derby, while Hawkesbury also take on Nepean in another local derby.
With the squad depth of all teams being tested at this stage in the year, all points gained could prove vital come seasons end.
Hawkesbury City SC v Nepean FC – Saturday 5pm at Benson Lane Reserve
The round kicks off on Saturday night with Hawkesbury hosting Nepean in the local derby.
After going five games without a win, Hawkesbury stopped their recent form slump with a crucial 2-0 victory over Camden Tigers last week. James Mawein was the hero with a two goal effort sealing the win, and the Hawks will be going in confident as they were 2-1 winners in the first derby this season.
Nepean come into this match on the back of a disappointing 5-1 home loss to Inter Lions last week. Coach Malouf will be looking for a reaction from his side, and a derby game is the perfect opportunity to bounce back.
With both teams equal on points and sitting 8th and 9th respectively on the ladder, expect a feisty encounter as these fierce rivals look for bragging rights.
Gladesville Ryde Magic v Hakoah Sydney City East FC – Saturday 5pm at Magdala Park
Gladesville have the daunting task of trying to slow down league leaders Hakoah this week as both teams meet on Saturday evening at Magdala Park.
Gladesville claimed a hard earned 2-1 victory against Western NSW Mariners last week, and the win sees the side leapfrog Dulwich Hill back into fourth position on the ladder. Still undefeated at home, this matchup is sure to test Gladesville’s impressive home record.
Hakoah were clinical last week in a 4-0 rout over Dulwich Hill. Whilst their attack has been on fire in recent weeks, the Eastern Sydney based side also counts on the best defence in the league, having conceded only 10 goals so far this season.
Western NSW Mariners FC v Granville Rage – Saturday 7.30pm at Glen Willow Stadium
Two teams coming of loses face off on Saturday night when Western NSW Mariners tackle Granville Rage.
The Mariners come into this clash on the back of 2-1 loss against Gladesville last week. While there were no points gained, it was a much improved performance from Andrew Fearnley’s side, with the side moving the ball well and holding their own throughout the match.
Granville meanwhile were desperately unlucky not to come away with anything from last week’s game, going down 5-4 against Balmain. After a slow start, the Rage came back from two goals down but fell just short after conceding a late goal.
The loss not only leaves the Rage five points behind 2nd place Northbridge, but they now also share 3rd place with Gladesville. After leading the table for most of the season, they’ll be looking for the three points to get back on track.
Northbridge FC v Camden Tigers – Sunday 3pm at Northbridge Oval
Northbridge look to continue their winning streak on Saturday against Camden Tigers at Northbridge Oval.
Northbridge made it six wins in a row over the weekend by defeating Stanmore Hawks 4-1. As has been customary this year the Bridge shared around the goals, with four different players getting on the scoresheet in what was another great team effort.
Camden were on the wrong end of a 2-0 score line on the weekend against Hawkesbury City. Once again the effort shown by the Tigers can’t be questioned, but finding the back of the net continues to plague the team. With finals football unlikely for Camden and numerous young players in the side, the expectations for the second half of season will be to get a few wins on the board and get off the foot of the ladder.
Stanmore Hawks v Dulwich Hill FC – Sunday 3pm at Rydalmere Park
With Arlington Oval still unavailable, Rydalmere Park will host the ‘Inner West’ derby between Stanmore Hawks and Dulwich Hill.
Both teams are coming off loses last week, with Stanmore being defeated 4-1 by Northbridge and Dulwich Hill falling 4-0 to Hakoah. And there’ll be no extra motivation needed for these traditional rivals as they both look to get back in the winner’s circle.
In a hotly contested encounter, Dulwich Hill were 2-1 winners in the fixture earlier this season, so expect another close game this Sunday afternoon between these arch rivals.
Balmain Tigers FC v Inter Lions SC – Sunday 3pm at Wentworth Park
Two teams starting to run into form meet on Sunday as Balmain entertain Inter Lions.
The Tigers overcame Granville Rage 5-4 over the weekend and are keeping up there charge for a finals place. Currently sitting in 6th spot, the gap to 5th has been reduced to only four points, and with the side in the middle of a three game home stand this could be the perfect opportunity to make a charge in the second half of the season.
After two wins in a row Inter Lions finally look ready to make a run up the ladder. With the second best defence in the league, it been the Lions finishing which has let them down so far this year, but last week’s 5-1 demolition over Nepean makes it eight goals in the last two games for the Lions.
Midfielder Yusuke Tanaka and young striker Anthony Foti will look to continue their recent good form, while Coach Maiorana has also bolstered his attacking options by signing former NSL star Pablo Cardozo for the remainder of the season.
-By Diego Munoz
