Round 22 Preview – PS4 NPL 3 NSW Men’s

A cool night for a hot night of football. Each team managed to take a point each at the end of the match wiht the scores locked at 5 all.

Round Twenty Two of the 2017 PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues 3 NSW Men’s competition is scattered across three different timeslots this weekend, with four matches scheduled for 7pm on Saturday evening, two matches at 3pm on Sunday afternoon, and one final game to be played on Sunday evening at 7pm.

Let’s take a brief look at what’s in store, starting with the four Saturday evening matches.

Many eyes will be at Marrickville to watch the eagerly awaited, local Portuguese derby between Fraser Park and Dulwich Hill.

With the teams occupying second and third spots on the competition ladder respectively, it is a clash between two high performing sides, both needing a win for different purposes.

After going the opening 19 rounds of the season undefeated, Fraser Park have now lost two games on the bounce, dropping five points behind Rydalmere Lions in to second position. With a game in hand up their sleeve, Fraser need the points if they are to keep the pressure up on the Lions as they drive towards a tilt at the Premiership.

Dulwich Hill are third on the ladder on 38 points, but a loss and draw over the past fortnight has resulted in a closing of the gap beneath them, with a host of clubs all winning and edging that little bit nearer.

Fraser Park have the bragging rights at the moment, courtesy of their 4-1 touch up of Dully back in Round 9 on May 6th. Crevani, Roberts, Sansom and Simpson were the scorers that day as Fraser came from 0-1 down to comfortably take the points, so expect a renewed performance from Dulwich Hill this time around.

St George City FA will look to continue their recent positive form when they travel to meet Stanmore Hawks at Arlington Oval. Sam Messam has been excellent of late and has now netted 11 times this season, spearheading St George City to 4 wins from their past 5 matches. St George City FA won the first round encounter 2-1, with Mark Kamara scoring a brace to cancel out a Peter Stefadouros goal for Stanmore, and a closely fought battle could be on the cards again this time.

Dunbar Rovers will meet Balmain Tigers at Hensley Athletic Field hoping for a better result than last week’s epic draw against Dulwich Hill. Not many sides can say they scored five goals away from home yet still weren’t able to win, but that’s exactly what the Rovers experienced courtesy of their 5-5 stalemate, although they did come back from 2-5 at half time to show tremendous spirit. The Rovers will however be without silky midfielder, Ryan Shaughnessy, and 14 goal striker, Tod Bamber, who will both miss the clash through suspension following respective red cards last week.

Balmain Tigers on the other hand have shown huge signs of improvement and are now three successive games without a loss. Experienced striker, Rosario Occhipinti, is up to 8 goals this season on the back of a brace in last weekend’s 2-0 triumph over Stanmore, and will again look to guide his Tigers to take advantage of Dunbar’s personnel gaps this weekend.

In Saturday’s other match, Granville Rage welcome Sydney University to Garside Park, and the sturdy Rage defensive line will need to be at their best to stop 10 goal youngster, Matthew Akehurst, and Jovan Blagojevic (8 goals) and if they are to grab anything from this tricky encounter.

Sunday brings together an intriguing battle at Magdala Park, with Gladesville Ryde Magic entertaining the visit of Rydalmere Lions at 3-00pm.

The Magic have been one of the form sides of the competition, up to 5th position on the ladder on the back of a run that has seen them lose just one of their past eleven matches.

Depleted numbers have seen Gladesville thrust a quarry of youngsters into the fray, and haven’t players like 16-year-old Nick Ioannides, and 20 game ‘veteran’, 19 year old Peter Voukidis, stepped up to the plate. Playmaker Chris Tomaras has been in his best form of the season, scoring nine goals and having a hand in everything for Magic in the front third.

But there is little more dangerous than a wounded Lion. Following their magnificent victory over Fraser Park a fortnight ago, Rydalmere were upended by the Western NSW Mariners on Saturday, and will look to rebound with venom this weekend in order to preserve their five-point lead at the summit.

Two teams riding the crest of a wave will meet head on at Sir Jack Brabham Park on Sunday, with the Western NSW Mariners meeting SD Raiders at 3-00pm.

The Mariners produced the upset of the season on Saturday with their 3-2 away triumph over league front runners, Rydalmere Lions, in a gritty, determined display that gave them a valuable three points. Skipper, Adam Scimone, has been leading the way of late, and has now managed to score against both competition heavyweights in recent weeks – Fraser Park and Rydalmere Lions – as he guides his side to more improved performances on the pitch.

SD Raiders are now the only side who have not tasted defeat during a consistent second round, winning five and drawing three of their eight matches. Newly promoted this season to this league, the Raiders have been a revelation with their fierce attacking style, and are well set up for a maiden season finals berth if they can continue their positive run of form.

Round Twenty-Two concludes on Sunday evening at Fraser Park, with Inter Lions hoping for a reversal of their recent poor form when they welcome the visit of Hawkesbury City, who are desperate for three points to stay in touch with the teams in the top six.