State League Two Round 13 Preview
A top-of-the-table clash and three David vs Goliath fixtures highlight Football NSW Men’s State League 2 round 13.
University of NSW play Hurstville City Minotaurs at David Phillips Field on Saturday afternoon (3pm kickoff) followed by top-two Southern Bulls versus Prospect United at Ernie Smith Reserve on Saturday night (7pm). Rydalmere then host Enfield Rovers at Rydalmere Park on Sunday afternoon (3pm) before a Sunday evening clash between Hurstville FC and Southern Branch at St George Soccer Stadium (5pm). Western Condors have the bye.
University of NSW meet Hurstville City Minotaurs at David Phillips Field on Saturday afternoon (3pm kickoff). Uni continue to develop a young squad gutted by the off-season withdrawal of several players, and with the top-four now 11 points ahead and only six rounds left to play all Uni can do is test the measure and dent the hopes of those with finals aspirations. Hurstville trail fourth-placed Rydalmere ahead of their match- in two weeks time, so they’ll need to stay in touch with a good showing against Uni, who they beat 3-1 earlier in the year. Star City striker Ruben Viglino (eight goals) has scored the same as the entire Uni first grade squad.
Southern Bulls tackle Prospect United in a top-of-the-table clash at Ernie Smith Reserve on Saturday night (7pm). Prospect’s won six straight to front the pack led by Bulls four points back. Southern are unbeaten at Ernie Smith this winter (three draws in five matches there) and United’s only two losses this season have come on the road, and despite the fact the sides know how to kick a goal this game features two very miserly defenses (six clean sheets each in 11 outings). The two sides share one win each and two draws from their four state league encounters, Prospect winning 1-0 at William Lawson Reserve in April.
Rydalmere Lions host Enfield Rovers in an interesting match at Rydalmere Park on Sunday afternoon (3pm). Ten points may separate them on the table (Lions in fourth spot) but both sides have lost just once of their past five matches to bring together two in-form teams. Rydalmere haven’t been great at home this season winning two of five at ‘The Park’ while Enfield have claimed nearly all their points on the road, but Rovers have never beaten Lions in three state league tries – losing 4-0 earlier this year, 2-0 at the same venue last year, following a 6-1 rout in the first meeting between the clubs last May.
Hurstville FC and Southern Branch play at St George Soccer Stadium on Saturday evening (5pm). Bottom-placed Branch trail their nearest rivals Uni by four points after enduring a sufferable 2014 season. They finally got some runs on the board in a breakthrough win two weeks ago and come off a resting bye ready to face a Hurstville side that’s won just one of their past four games. This’ll be the first time the clubs have met in Sydney following three successive 2-1 results in Nowra, FC victors twice.
-By Dan De Nardi
