Round 10 – National Premier Leagues NSW Women’s Preview
Manly United enter round 10 of the NPL NSW Women’s competition leading the competition with some enticing fixtures to come.
Illawarra Stingrays v NWS Koalas
At JJ Kelly Park on Sunday, the Illawarra Stingrays take on the North West Sydney Koalas.
The Stingrays enter this one off the back of some improved form, scoring 12 goals and conceding none.
This game against the Koalas will be more of a test compared to their last two fixtures and will need to be at the top of their game.
It was a disappointing defeat for the Koalas last week having taken the lead.
A win against the Stingrays will put them only two points away from a finals position.
Bankstown City v Blacktown Spartans
Bankstown City and Blacktown Spartans will clash at Jensen Park.
The difficult pitch at Jensen Park could play into the hands of the home side on Sunday as they look to register all important points.
They haven’t tasted victory in almost a month and haven’t scored in their last three outings.
After a coaching reshuffle, Stephen Peters is yet to lose a game at the helm of the Spartans.
A win is imperative for the Spartans as they look to stay within touching distances of finals places.
The addition of Matildas star Chloe Logarzo will only give the Blacktown side confidence.
Emerging Jets v Macarthur Rams
The Emerging Jets take on the Macarthur Rams at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility.
We’ve seen an improvement from the Jets over the last month, with the team picking up two draws in that period.
They’re still winless though, something they’ll want to change soon.
It’s been a rocky two weeks for Norm Boardman’s side with a loss and a draw.
They suffered loss number one on Sunday and will look to bounce straight back in their battle for the premiership.
Northern Tigers v Manly United
It’s a North Sydney derby on Sunday as the Northern Tigers take on Manly United at North Turramurra Recreational Area.
The Tigers are by far the form side of the competition, not losing in their last five matches.
They showed great resolve last week to come from behind and win away from home and with the addition of Michelle Heyman to the side, they’re looking a dangerous prospect.
Chris Williams’s side has hit the top of the table with their fourth straight win on Sunday afternoon.
They still hold a perfect away record and will look to continue that with another win this weekend.
Football NSW Institute v Sutherland Shire
At Valentine Sports park, Football NSW Institute host the Sutherland Shire.
If you want to see goals, go to a Football NSW Institute game. They won’t disappoint.
They’ve already scored 35 goals in nine games but have conceded a large amount at the other end, 27.
They’re within touching distance of the finals places and will look to keep that up this week.
The rough run continues for the girls from Sutho, still struggling to find their first point of the campaign.
They’ll keep fighting though in a battle to begin their climb off the bottom of the ladder.
North Shore Mariners v Sydney University
Northbridge Oval will host the North Shore Mariners and Sydney University on Sunday.
After such a strong start, the Mariners have slid down the ladder.
They haven’t won since round four and will need to turn things around soon if they’re to play finals football this year.
Uni lost first place for the first time this season after dropping points for the second consecutive week.
It won’t be easy against the Mariners but if Alex Epakis can re-focus his side they should be able to get the job done.
-By Nikola Pozder
