Round 4 Preview – PS4 NPL 3 NSW Men’s

Six matches across three timeslots make up what promises to be yet another enthralling round of football this weekend in the PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues 3 NSW Men’s competition.

Round Four starts at 5-00pm on Saturday afternoon, with matches at Garside Park and Glen Willow Stadium.

Granville Rage host Gladesville Ryde Magic in Granville, and the Rage will be well rested and keen to get on the park given they only played for quarter of an hour last week in their clash against Rydalmere.

But they will have their work cut out, given Magic have hit their straps lately. Gladesville Ryde Magic finally grabbed their first competition win last Sunday with a sturdy 3-2 triumph over Dulwich Hill, and backed that up with a resounding 6-0 Westfield FFA Cup win midweek over Padstow United, so let’s see if that momentum continues on Saturday afternoon at Garside.

Western NSW Mariners and Glen Willow will play host to the Rydalmere Lions in a match with the odds heavily stacked in the visitors favour.

The Mariners have nothing to show for their efforts, with three losses in their opening three matches, but have shown many pleasing signs to suggest their first points are around the corner. Apart from managing to find the net in all three matches, they also have a youthful squad that is improving their cohesion and understanding with each game.

But Rydalmere is a test of grand proportions for anyone in this league, with eleven goals for and zero against, but the test for the Lions will no doubt be to see how they endure the trek to Mudgee on a Saturday afternoon.

Something has to give at Arlington Oval on Saturday evening, when Dulwich Hill welcome the visit of Hawkesbury City for a 7-00pm kick off.

Surprisingly both clubs have yet to register a victory in the 2016 competition – Dully have had a draw – and will be out to make that right in what promises to be a match high on desperation.

The clubs had mixed fortunes midweek in the Westfield FFA Cup – Dully going out at the expense of Marconi, whilst Hawkesbury thrashed The Entrance Bateau Bay – both via a 5-0 scoreline.

A score draw could well provide the goals and respective point that helps kick start both clubs’ campaigns.

The competition ladder will tell you that the match of the fourth round will be at Hensley Athletic Field on Saturday night at 7-00pm, with leaders Dunbar Rovers up against Stanmore Hawks.

Much has been made of Dunbar’s season since their elevation in to the PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues 3 NSW Men’s competition, and it difficult to argue with their start – they currently boast three wins from three matches, scoring 11 goals for with just 1 against.

Amongst their eleven goals, Dunbar have four players, no less, who have scored a brace each, with another three having notched up singles, so the variety of their weaponry in attack means it’s difficult for any team to know who they need to focus on defensively.

But Stanmore Hawks could very well prove to be the dark horses of sorts this season. Two wins and a loss means they currently sit in fourth place, and they do have the best defence outside the top two sides, with just four goals conceded.

The Hawks themselves are no slouches in the attacking third.

Big Sam Awad currently sits second on the goal scorers list, with four goals, and he has the clinical Neil Phillipou and the young, energetic Michael Toscano as very able supports. With the experience of skipper, Steve Liavas, pulling the strings from the midfield, the Hawks will be out to derail Dunbar’s momentum Saturday night.

Both matches on Sunday will be kicking off at 3-00pm.

Inter Lions host Sydney University at Fraser Park in a match between teams with contrasting fortunes.

Inter started the season brightly, but have a little unstuck of late, with losses against both Hills and Stanmore, as well as being knocked out of the Westfield FFA Cup midweek by Bulli.

The Lions have been playing well in all their matches this season, but only in parts – reflected in both league and Cup where they have lead at half time, only to end up losing by full time – and consistency over 90 minutes is needed at this level if any team is to be successful. Captain-coach, Lachlan Wright, has enough experience to know not to push the panic buttons, and will have regrouped and refocussed his troops come Sunday afternoon, with nothing but three points on the agenda.

Sydney University started the season with a loss, but have since come good with a couple of workmanlike victories that have borne fruit, sitting fifth on the ladder with six points.

Enigmatic marksman, Rosario Occhipinti, could once again be the ‘go to’ man, as he remains the only player in the league to score in each of the opening three rounds. Occhipinti currently sits equal third on the goal scorers list with three goals, the same as the Rydalmere pair of Lloyd Owusu and Joey Steenbergen, and will no doubt be out to score against his old club on Sunday afternoon.

The final match of the round is at the historic Wentworth Park, where Balmain Tigers return home to meet Hills Brumbies.

After losing a host of players in the summer, and an opening day humiliation at the hands of the Rydalmere Lions, Balmain have well and truly got their season back on track, and are currently in sixth position on the ladder on goal difference, courtesy of two away victories over Gladesville Ryde Magic and Hawkesbury City.

Hills Brumbies are also on six points, but third on goal difference, and will be hurting from last week’s demise against Dunbar Rovers, hoping that was a minor setback in their premiership focus. Hills will be looking to Peter Cejkaa to steer them to victory, his five goals this season the most of any player in the competition.