Men’s State League 2 Round 10 Preview

Round nine saw close games throughout the competition, as well as our first look at University of NSW when they came up against FC Gazy Lansvale, for the Match of the Round.

This week we also get our first look at the last team to have not featured in a Match of the Round this season.  The Hurstville City Minotaurs have had a disappointing year but head coach, Peter Sarikakis is looking to start the second half of the season fresh.  There will be no better statement than upsetting competition leaders, Dunbar Rovers who were not themselves last week against the Western Condors.

Dunbar Rovers vs Hurstville City Minotaurs, 3pm Sunday 14 June, Hensley Athletic Field (Match of the Round)

The Dunbar Rovers will host the Hurstville City Minotaurs after stealing three-points away from Western Condors in injury time courtesy of a Robbie Deasy special.

Head coach, William Cullen, said that the “boys looked flat” but saw it as a good opportunity to re-group, moving into the second half of the competition.

Dunbar is the only team this season to have won every match they have played, and is even more impressive considering it is their first year in the competition.

Injuries and suspensions have rattled the Minotaurs, but they continue to fight on and show improvement each week.

Paolo Paras continues to impress and will no doubt play an integral role if the Minotaurs are to get the win.  However, if the Minotaurs string together a full team performance for the 90 minutes, they have shown in the past they can compete against the very best.

University of NSW vs Hurstville FC, 3pm Saturday 13 June, David Phillips Field

University of NSW will be go into this match with great confidence after they stole victory away from Hurstville FC in the dying moments of Round one.

They, along with Southern Districts are the only two teams to have defeated Hurstville FC, who are having an outstanding season after taking out the competition last year.

Their 3-1 loss to Southern Districts came only last week, which resulted in them being leap-frogged by their opponent, which pushed them down to third spot on the ladder.

They therefore, have a lot to play for and will ensure that they get themselves back into the winners circle come Saturday.

For University of NSW, they showed outstanding commitment defensively against FC Gazy Lansvale but lacked the composure required to find the back of the net.

Head coach, Andrew Field would have stressed the importance of taking their chances especially against such a quality opposition in Hurstville FC.

Prospect United vs FC Gazy Lansvale, 5pm Saturday 13 June, William Lawson Park

Prospect United will be looking to build on their three game winning-streak when they come up against FC Gazy Lansvale at home.

Wiltar Jajaw has been in exceptional goal-scoring form within the fortnight, scoring five goals over Rounds eight and nine.

He along with David Mavisa and Abanoub Mickael have scored nine out of the club’s 16 goals and have formed an effective combination, which has proven hard to contain.

For FC Gazy Lansvale, Ozcan Cettinay and Ali Al Waeli have been leading the way in attack, while Mitchell Bozzetto has been a rock in defence.

With a win this weekend, they have the opportunity to leapfrog both University of NSW and the Western Condors into sixth position, while Prospect can find themselves as high as second on the ladder if they come away with the points.

There is a lot riding on this mid-season clash and with the middle of the table being so close, these points can mean the difference between whether or not a team qualifies for the finals.

Southern Districts vs Western Condors, 7pm Saturday 13 June, Ernie Smith Reserve

Southern Districts have bounced back strongly after their defeat to Dunbar Rovers in the top-of-the-table clash in Round 8.

Head Coach, Ramson Shamon described the 3-1 win over Hurstville FC as a “clinical team performance” led by Mitchell Mclintock.

Mclintock continued his outstanding goal-scoring form by scoring yet another double, which proved to be the difference between a draw and a victory.

Goalkeeper, Tomislav Romic also had a fantastic match, which was highlighted by his second-half penalty save with the scores level at 1-1, proving to be a key turning point.

He will need to continue this form because Western Condors play an exciting brand of attacking football, lead by the joint-leader for goals scored this season, Mauricio Navarrete.

Navarette has scored eight goals in only seven matches with teammate, Cristian Leiva Martinez not far behind on six goals for the season.

Camden Tigers vs Wagga City Wanderers, 7pm Saturday 13 June, Ron Dine Reserve

The Camden Tigers have proven that they have the discipline required to close out matches, after they scraped over the line with a 1-0 win against the Hurstville City Minotaurs last week.

Bailey Simpson’s half-volley from improbable range got the Tigers fired up and as a team, they will be looking for that spark against the Wagga City Wanderers, who are knocking on the door of a maiden win.

The Tigers are a team who thrive heavily on momentum, they have now won their last two matches and they opened the season by winning their first three matches played.

The Wagga City Wanderers on the other hand have focused more on giving players an opportunity and have fielded a rather young squad due to injuries, including three 16-year-old players.

Head coach, Blaise Fagan believes that developing their juniors will benefit their club in the long-term which is their overall goal.

-By Lars Roy, Men’s State League 2 Reporter