Mens State League Two round 18 Preview
Mens State League Two round 18 is an all-Sunday affair with Enfield Rovers against University of NSW at Garside Park (3pm), Southern Branch versus Hurstville City Minotaurs at South Nowra Football Complex (3pm), Prospect United meet Western Condors at William Lawson Reserve (3pm), and Southern Bulls face Hurstville FC at Ernie Smith Reserve (4pm). Rydalmere Lions have the bye.
Rovers ambushed Minotaurs 5-1 in their round-11 catch-up game at 5Sports Caringbah on Tuesday night, Lions crushed Uni 6-1 in a round-17 clash at David Phillips Field on Wednesday night to wrap up the club championship, and the round-17 Hurstville derby scheduled for William Lawson Park on Friday night (8.30pm) should be an absolute belter with Minotaurs needing to beat their neighbours to have any chance of making the post-season dance – and then they’ll need FC to beat Bulls on Sunday.
As it stands Rydalmere (29) are second to Hurstville with Prospect (29) and Bulls (27) hot on their heels and ready to trade places at the fulltime whistle.
Runaway grade-20 premiers Lions play Uni tonight with Prospect (28), Bulls (27) and Uni (26) all in a position to finish second through fourth, and Uni could miss out altogether (after being outright-second three weeks ago, 12 points ahead of Rovers) if they lose to Rydalmere tonight and sneaky Enfield (23) beat them by enough goals on Sunday.
It was also confirmed that Rydalmere won the coveted club championship, accumulating 98 points (with their grade-20 team to play tonight) to stave off Prospect (86), Bulls (81), Hurstville FC (71) and Condors (64).
Club coach Tony Basha was thrilled as he knew this title was every club’s ultimate goal. “It’s been a really hard-fought season and probably the best [top-half] to a competition I’ve been involved with in a long time,” he said, acknowledging the close presence of Prospect, Bulls and Hurstville in both grades.
“There’s a lot of people who work very hard behind the scenes to make something like this possible. I’m very proud of all the players – they’ve done a massive job, but it’s really nice to see all the smiles around the place, especially on the board members because they’ve put a lot of belief into a long-term vision and are really determined to make it work. It’s the best football club environment I’ve ever been around and they deserve this reward.”
Rydalmere have the final round bye and Basha wished all teams good luck on the weekend, and in the finals. “The top-four teams in both grades are there because they played the best football in my opinion… and I think every team is good enough to win it,” he said.
Southern Bulls will go all guns blazing at newly crowned premiers Hurstville FC at Ernie Smith Reserve on Sunday afternoon (4pm). Not only are Bulls playing for their playoff lives (they need a point with Minotaurs still lurking) but they can also make a massive statement against the competition benchmark and even finish second. Their third meeting this year, FC won a third-round Waratah Cup clash at Ernie Smith 3-1 and got up 1-0 in their round-nine clash against Bulls to snare victories in all but two of their past eight encounters (one draw); Southern would rather call on their Super League battles which saw Bulls win all four contests in 2004-05. Both sides have league-low 10-goal concessions (a staggering 13 clean sheets in 28 games collectively) and Bulls are yet to lose at home in seven contests (two wins, five draws), but FC are king of the road taking 19 points from seven trips (scoring 14 and conceding just four away goals).
It’s all or nothing for Prospect United in their clash against Western Condors at William Lawson Reserve on Sunday afternoon (3pm). Condors are effectively out of both grades while Prospect go for second place in both, unable to drop out of the top-four in either competition; but United can drop to third or fourth and have to play knockout finals all the way through. Condors would just love to finish a testing season on a high wind. Prospect have historically done well against the Western club winning four of their past seven encounters (one draw) including 1-0 earlier this year, but United have inexplicably dropped their last two home matches and Condors boast a solid away record losing just one of seven winter outings.
Southern Branch host a road-weary Hurstville City Minotaurs at South Nowra Football Complex on Sunday afternoon (3pm). It will be Hurstville’s third match inside six days (the Hurstville derby is down for Friday night) to really test their squad’s depth, but if they don’t get out there and win both games (and hope FC beat Bulls) then they’ll be sitting on the sidelines in August. Inconsistency (and scheduling interruptions) has pushed Minotaurs on the back foot this season, but they won’t go into this game lightly as Branch have been a real thorn in City’s side winning their last two meetings on the coast following a first-up 0-0 draw at Punchbowl last April, and Southern still have a chance to avoid the wooden spoon should they continue Hurstville’s hoodoo.
Enfield Rovers and University of NSW have their own battle going on at Garside Park on Sunday afternoon (3pm). A 5-1 midweek win over Minotaurs lifted Enfield out of the dangerzone but Uni will be playing to desperately avoid this year’s wooden spoon and only a positive result will help them (Branch have a better for-and-against and play Minotaurs down south). It’s been a tough 2014 for both clubs as they continue their development (although Enfield’s grade-20 side can possibly sneak into the finals depending on Uni’s result tonight) and one win apiece and a draw in their three first grade meetings to date indicates this could be a tight tussle, particularly as their round-nine kerfuffle finished in an epic 4-3 Rovers victory. It’s also Enfield’s last chance to win at home (two draws, five losses at Garside).
