With a host of intriguing ties set to take place this weekend we look at what to expect from round four of the National Premier Leagues 3 NSW Men’s competition.
Round four kicks off under lights on Friday night and is set to span across three days for the first time this season with the final fixture set to be played on Sunday afternoon.
Two sides looking to carry on with their winning streaks clash at Sydney University Football Ground as Sydney University SFC go head to head with Dulwich Hill FC on Friday night at 8:15pm.
Sydney University enter this fixture after a convincing 3-1 win over Parramatta and will no doubt be pleased by the efforts of their captain Scott Tonkin after the striker bagged a hat trick in that encounter last weekend.
Similarly, Dulwich Hill have the same record as their opponents on Friday, having also recorded a loss and two wins from their first three matches.
This match could prove to be quite the contest with both teams keen to continue with their impressive form and maintain the pressure on front runners Gladesville Ryde Magic.
Western NSW Mariners welcome Bankstown United FC to Marjorie Jackson Field at 3pm on Saturday afternoon with the home side in desperate need of points after three consecutive losses.
After a lacklustre start to the season, Mariners will look to register their first points of the season as they play at home for the third week running.
Last round’s narrow defeat to Magic demonstrated that they have the potential however they will need to show that kind of fight for the full 90 minutes if they want to get a result this Saturday.
On the other hand, Bankstown United have enjoyed a relatively positive start to the campaign and following their 3-1 dispatching of SD Raiders last weekend, they will be looking for back to back wins for the first time out at Lithgow this Saturday.
With wet weather claiming Stanmore Hawks’ last two fixtures, they will be itching to go this Saturday night when they face Parramatta FC with the match scheduled for a 7pm kick off at Arlington Oval.
Restrained to the training ground for the last three weeks, Saturday’s hosts have not tasted league action since their round one stalemate with Inter Lions. They will hope that this lengthy break has come as a blessing in disguise as they will be relatively fresh heading into this fixture.
Parramatta head to Arlington Oval fresh from their defeat at the hands of Uni. With little to go off from the form book, Parramatta will head into the unknown when they face Stanmore on Saturday.
SD Raiders will look to return to winning ways this Saturday as they host Granville Rage at Ernie Smith Reserve with the game set to commence at 7pm.
Following last week’s surprise defeat to Bankstown United, SD Raiders will look to rediscover their form at home when they square off with Granville Rage.
The hosts have a tricky proposition ahead of them, with Rage most likely to put up quite the fight in this fixture.
With Andres Sanchez Bustos smashing in the goals for the visitors, expect a high scoring encounter as Rage look to test the Raider’s defensive resolve.
Following back to back draws, Bankstown City FC will go in search of their second win of the season as they come up against Hawkesbury City FC at Jensen Park at 7pm on Saturday night.
Still undefeated in the league, Bankstown City enter this fixture after back to back draws. The home side will consider Hawkesbury as the perfect opposition with the visitors yet to record a league victory this campaign.
This will prove to be a testing season for Hawkesbury with Dean Bertenshaw’s youthful squad entering each fixture with the underdog tag attached to them.
This may not necessarily be the worst, especially if young forward Daniel Morsillo can keep on firing in front of goal.
Ron Dine Stadium will be a welcome sight for Camden Tigers as they return to their hunting ground following back to back defeats on the road. The Tigers will meet Dunbar Rovers on Saturday night with proceedings set to kick off at 7pm.
Camden Tigers have been unable to find the back of the net in their last two defeats and enter this round with a point to prove after conceding an alarming six goals over the course of those two matches.
Dunbar Rovers go in search of their maiden win of the campaign when they make the trip down to Camden this Saturday. The visitors will be hoping to take advantage of an out of form Tigers side as they look to return from Ron Dine with all three points.
The sole fixture on Sunday takes place at Christie Park and will see Gladesville Ryde Magic entertain Inter Lions FC at 3pm.
The only side which can still boast a perfect record in this year’s competition will be aiming to make it four from four this Sunday as they host Inter Lions.
Magic’s unblemished record sees them situated at the top of the leaderboard and has placed them as early favourites in this year’s competition.
However, they face a difficult task when they clash with Inter with the visitors having showed encouraging signs in their first two outings this season.
Inter will be raring to go in this fixture and this will undoubtedly be the first of many tests for the early pacesetters.
-By NPL 3 NSW Men’s Chief Writer Samuel Greco Schwartz (Twitter handle: @SamuelGS97)
