Round 6 – Westfield FFA Cup Preview
For the NSW clubs that remain, the anticipation is building knowing they require just two more victories to be granted their spot in the 2016 Westfield FFA Cup First Round proper.
Round Six commenced with one match on Tuesday, May 3, and the remaining eight matches will take place a day later on the evening of Wednesday, May 4.
St George FA went down to Mens 2 two outfit Bankstown Berries 2-1 after extra time at the Ilinden Sports Centre on the Tuesday.
One of a few ‘David and Goliath’ battles in Round Six will take place at Cromer Park on Wednesday, when PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues 1 NSW Men’s side, Manly United, host Killarney Districts FC from the Central Coast Football Association.
Manly United are sitting comfortably in 4th spot on the league ladder after a solid start to the season, and have had a rather comfortable run in the early stages of the Cup, manoeuvring past two other Local Association sides during the early rounds in Gladesville Ravens and Glebe Gorillas.
With the odds heavily stacked in Manly’s favour in each of these Cup matches, Killarney District will surely be out to prove that they are a banana peel waiting to be stepped on, given their previous three rounds have included victories against state league opposition in Stanmore Hawks (4-2) and Mt Druitt Town Rangers (4-2 aet).
The second local Association club side still remaining in the Cup is from the Manly Warringah Football Asociation, and they will be in action on the same night at the same complex, at Cromer Park, over on Field No.2.
Mosman FC will play host to Mounties Wanderers, from the PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues 2 NSW Men’s competition, and will be hoping to topple their more fancied opponents and continue their fairy tale run in this year’s Cup.
There are two all-PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues 1 NSW Men’s battles in Round Six – one will be at Lambert Park where APIA Leichhardt Tigers meet Parramatta FC. The two clubs met earlier in the season in Round Two of the competition proper at Melita Stadium, where Parramatta were unlucky not to grab all three points in an exciting 0-0 draw. There will have to goals at some point in this match because a winner has to be decided on the night, so expect both sides to throw caution to the wind at some stage.
The other is at Bonnyrigg Sports Centre where the Bonnyrigg White Eagles host Hakoah Sydney City East. The White Eagles have defeated both Dunbar Rovers (3-0) and Fraser Park (1-0) in previous rounds, without conceding a goal in the process, so more of the same here will keep the home fans happy. Hakoah Sydney City East will prove more than capable opponents, their physical pressing style proving fruitful in the previous two rounds of the Cup with wins over Picton Rangers and Granville Rage as the eye a spot in the next round.
The locals will be out in force at Hooka Creek Park as Wollongong Wolves host Bulli FC at 7-00pm.
Bulli FC have had a pleasing start to their Illawarra Premier League season, and have brought that form in to Westfield FFA Cup with earlier round triumphs over Liverpool SC (4-0), Spirit FC (2-1) and Inter Lions (4-3), the latter game especially pleasing given they came from 0-2 down at half time with ten men to win the match.
But the Wolves are used to the pressure that comes from playing teams in the Illawarra Premier League, having faced this numerous times in the past, including the last round where they toppled the highly fancied Kemblawarra Fury by 2-0 with goals from the Zucco brothers.
The other side from the Illawarra Premier League still in this year’s Cup is Wollongong United, and they will hit the road to Sydney to take on Sydney Olympic at Belmore Sports Ground at 7-30pm.
United have beaten another PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues 1 NSW Men’s side in Blacktown Spartans in the previous round to the tune of 3-1, so playing the big guns doesn’t faze them and expect their usual wholehearted approach come Wednesday.
Olympic’s Cup form has been a lot more pleasing than their league form, and has included thumping wins against North Shore Mariners (3-0) and West Pennant Hills Cherrybrook (7-0) without conceding a goal, so Grant Lee will hope his side can continue this form and push towards the next round of the Cup.
In an all-PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues 2 NSW Men’s battle, Marconi will meet St George FC at Marconi Stadium at 7-30pm.
The two clubs were involved in a goal fest earlier in the season at St George Stadium in the league, with St George prevailing 4-3. Both teams love to attack and have plenty of weapons in the front third, so expect more goals in this one as both former great clubs of Australian football vie to continue their Cup run.
Hawkesbury City take on the might of Sydney United 58 FC at David Bertenshaw Field on Wednesday, the match scheduled to start at 7-30pm.
The Hawks have had a slow start to their PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues 3 NSW Men’s competition, and have used the Cup as a confidence builder, having accounted for Western NSW Mariners, Leichhardt Saints Seniors, and The Entrance Bateau Bay on their way to this Round Six encounter.
But the opposition do not come any bigger than Sydney United, current leaders of the PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues 1 NSW Men’s competition. Mark Rudan’s men have also hit some scintillating form in the Cup, smacking four past Sutherland Sharks and six past Bankstown City Lions, both without reply, so expect nothing less than another focussed performance this time around.
Details on the match between the Wagga City Wanderers and Gladesville Ryde Magic will be confirmed soon on the FNSW website.
The ten winners of these Round Six matches will then playoff to earn a spot alongside 2015 National Premier League champions, Blacktown City, in the national Westfield FFA Cup Round of 32.
