Round 12 Preview – League One Men’s
Crossing over the half way point of the League One Men’s competition, Round 12 promises so much with two top five matchups and a derby to provide the icing on the cake.
But before we get there, let’s take a step back and see how teams are looking as we go around again.
Our Pick: St George City v Central Coast Mariners FC; Saturday 28 May, 7pm, Penshurst Park
Was there any other choice? Our top two sides after eleven rounds meet in our pick of Round 12 action at Penshurst Park.
Let’s start with the hosts, shall we? Coming into the season there were doubts that St George City could match their 2021 efforts without a few certain individuals. However, as we get set for the second half of the season, those doubts have been well and truly put to bed.
In second place on goal difference, Mirko Jurilj’s side have won four of their last five fixtures most recently beating Mounties Wanderers, Bonnyrigg and Hills United in succession. So how have they done it on the field?
Well, last weekend was the Reuben Awaritefe show, the striker scoring a hat-trick including a magnificent scissor kick. But it would be a mistake to overlook the influence of Jordan Morfitis who is in great form. While at the back, Brendan Hooper and Nicholas Kalergou are forming a formidable partnership.
In good form and with depth at their disposal, it’s going to be hard for any side to dislodge them from a top four spot this season.
Leading the competition at the half way point, Central Coast Mariners have certainly impressed in the first half of this season. And with players returning to the academy squad at the conclusion of the A-league, it’s not hard to see them going to another level in the next few weeks.
The Mariners like their opposition have won four of their past five scoring wins against Northern Tigers, Hills United, SD Raiders and St George FC in recent weeks.
Last weekend they came out on top of St George FC, in a game where Andrew Christiansen’s side showed they are not afraid to do the dirty work and work for each other. Look out for Lachlan Bayliss and Sasha Kuzevski who have been two of their best players this season forming a combination down the right side.
With some A-league squad members returning to the side, the Mariners will be keen to strike back after St George City beat them up at Pluim in round one. Can they? Tune into NPL.TV or come down to Penshurst to find out.
Blacktown Spartans FC v Northern Tigers FC; Saturday 28 May, 7pm, Blacktown Football Park
Blacktown Spartans will be out to restore pride when they welcome Northern Tigers to Blacktown Football Park, Saturday night.
Here’s the thing, we don’t know what to make of the Spartans eleven weeks into the competition. They seem just as likely to win against a team above them in the standings as they are to concede a lot of goals which makes them fun for the neutrals but not so much when you’re attached to the club.
In ninth place on the table, Andy Montgomery’s side have won three, drawn three and lost five in the opening half of the season while they have an inconsistent form chart in recent times.
At home however, they are a different kettle of fish, undefeated in their opening three games. Yes… you read that right, they are still to play eight games at Blacktown Football Park this season. And you can see why they’re successful with a front four of Hamish Lamberton, Mason Ireland, Manni Gonzalez and Sully Bangura. If they want to challenge for a finals spot, it starts here and now for the Spartans.
In a 22 round home and away season, there are sure to be a few bumps in the road in a league as strong as this one. And one of the teams experiencing one of those bumps is Northern Tigers who led the league until last weekend.
Sitting in fourth position, the Tigers sit a point behind Central Coast Mariners and St George City at the turn of the season. However, in recent weeks, they have found the going tough winning just two of their past five.
Last weekend they came up against a well-structured Bonnyrigg White Eagles who were good enough to pounce on a mistake during the first half and not look back.
However, we know the quality this side has so it seems a matter of when and not if they turn things around. Look out for the experienced trio of Jamie Lobb, Ally Brown and Shervin Adeli who will be important leading their side through this tough patch.
On another weekend, this could well have been the pick of the round. Don’t let the fact that’s it’s not stop you from tuning in though.
SD Raiders FC v Hills United FC; Saturday 28 May, 7pm, Ernie Smith Reserve
After a week off, SD Raiders welcome Hills United to Ernie Smith Reserve for another fixture in our super Saturday of action.
It was a worry coming into the season that has proved to be somewhat true for the SD Raiders. We know this side is good enough to compete with the best of sides in the competition, it’s just being able to do it consistently.
The Raiders have won just one of their past nine fixtures, that being a derby against Bonnyrigg White Eagles four weeks ago.
Last time we saw them take the park, they went down to Central Coast Mariners at Pluim Park in round ten, this despite putting in a respectable performance at a ground where it’s tough to do so. Daniel Bittar has come into his own in recent times and if they are to get a result in this one, you would suggest he will play a key role.
In the past four league meetings between these two, no team has won at home, so they’ll have to buck the trend to do so here. But if they do, it will provide Goran Ljuboja’s side with some much-needed confidence boost leading into the second half of the season.
The table makes for ugly reading for their opposition this week. Hills United have perhaps been the hardest team hit by injury in the opening months of the season to the point they’ve had to postpone a few 20’s fixtures in the process.
Bomber’s men have lost their last four fixtures in the competition to the likes of both the St George sides, NWS Spirit and Central Coast Mariners.
With the injuries however, they have been able to give us a look at some future talent in their ranks with Jacob Lattuga in particular standing out as one to watch. And while they did go down to St George City last weekend, they did show some character through goals to Wade Giovenali and the aforementioned Lattuga early in the second half.
Two sides who haven’t had it easy in the first half of the season, three points would definitely be welcome in either camp to kick off the second half of their seasons.
Bonnyrigg White Eagles FC v Mounties Wanderers FC; Saturday 28 May, 7pm, Bonnyrigg Sports Club
How many points can you chase down in the second half of the season? After putting in a season best performance last weekend. Bonnyrigg White Eagles will be looking to continue their momentum as they welcome Mounties Wanderers.
Before last weekends match with the Northern Tigers, we pondered what exactly was going wrong for Abbas Saad’s team who hadn’t picked up a victory in their previous five attempts.
However, a superb performance against Northern Tigers away from home has once again proven where this side can be if they can get some consistency in the second half of the season.
So, who do we look out for in this one? Marie Gauthier would be a good place to start as he showed the quality he has last weekend, a quality which we’ve only seen in flashes in the early stages of the season. While top goal scorer Aaron Peterson keeps adding to his tally. Another false dawn or is this the start of a charge up the table? Eyes will be on this result come Saturday night!
“Form goes out the window in a derby”. That’s something that Mounties Wanderers will be hoping for this weekend as they approach a clash with their close neighbors.
The Wanderers surprised a lot of people with their start to the competition, sitting in the top four a month ago but three straight losses has provided a reality check for Jerry Bilokapic’s side in the latter stages of the first half of the season.
Last weekend, the Mounties fought hard at home against the Spirit to pull the game back to level scores before conceding a late goal. Behind this form slump appears to be a struggle to find goals in the front third, having scored one in the past three games.
So, look for the likes of Sam Perre to look to lift his side here as well as last week’s goal scorer Bruno Pivato. They will take confidence from their round one victory over Bonnyrigg White Eagles earlier this year.
With a lot at stake in the context of both teams’ seasons, expect fireworks in this one!
Hakoah FC v St George FC; Saturday 28 May, 7pm, Hensley Athletic Field
St George FC make the short trip to Hensley Athletic Field for their round twelve fixture against Hakoah FC.
Let’s change things up and start with the visitors. After eleven rounds, the Saints are one of the sides where you wonder where they’d be with a proven goal scorer in their midst.
Promising to provide football which entertains coming into the season, you’d have to say Mark Milligan has delivered right up until they get in the final third of the pitch. And with two draws and two wins in their opening eleven games, they’ll want to start picking up more consistent results in the second half of the campaign.
Last weekend, they matched it with the competition leaders Central Coast Mariners for much of their game and a goal to Yu Hasegawa will have given his coach something to think about coming into this one. Elsewhere, look out for Anthony Morabito and Harry Jones as their main threats going forward.
With a couple of “winnable” fixtures in the next couple of weeks, the Saints will be looking to gain some confidence before tricky fixtures against Blacktown Spartans and Northern Tigers in rounds 14 and 15.
Does a cup result affect league form? Their opponents this week will be hoping it does after Hakoah knocked out NPL side Marconi Stallions mid last week in a penalty shootout thriller at Hensley Athletic.
Prior to that, it’s been a mixed bag for Luka Hrzina’s side who have accumulated 12 points through three wins, three draws and four defeats with a game against SD Raiders in hand. While they haven’t tasted a league win since early April.
With the top four/five slipping away from the pack, this game looks all the more important with tricky fixtures coming up. So, who is going to lead them to a victory here? In short, Dominic Cox who was a notable absence for the side when he was out while they’ll also be looking for some consistency in the attacking line up.
The round one clash between these two sides proved to be a close fought contest, with not much between these two sides, this could be separated by the odd goal.
NWS Spirit FC v Western Sydney Wanderers FC; Saturday 28 May, 7:30pm, Christie Park
Last in our preview but certainly not least, Fifth place NWS Spirit welcome the competitions high scorers Western Sydney Wanderers to the Arctic circle in our slightly later kick off.
Knocking on the door of the top four, NWS Spirit stand just two points adrift of those all-important places at the half way point.
With four straight wins to their name against the likes of both St George sides, Hills United and Mounties Wanderers, they now face a team that they lost too in the opening round of the season. And they have reason to be confident after holding the other A-league academy to a draw at home.
Last weekend however, they won an arm-wrestle with Mounties Wanderers on a soggy evening at Cook Park. Reduced to ten with the departure of Grant Cornwell, Michael Konestabo scored with two minutes remaining to give them an all-important victory.
If they are to succeed in this one, Kota Odakura and Musashi Kokubo stand out as important players without Cornwell in the side.
Having found their grove in recent weeks, this game stands as a hurdle but a hurdle David Perkovic’s they can overcome.
At risk of being a jinx. If there’s one thing any match with Western Sydney Wanderers involves, its goals. In fact, every game of their season so far has included three goals or more. So, it’s safe to call them the leagues entertainers!
Of those games, Tomi Vidovic’s side have won seven, drawn one and lost three putting them a point behind Central Coast Mariners and St George City above them at the top. But recently, like their opponents, they have hit a good run of form unbeaten in their past five games.
Last weekend they scored seven against driveway neighbors Blacktown Spartans, something you’ll be sure to hear about on the call Saturday night with Nectarios Triantis and Jarrod Carluccio both picking up braces.
They’ll be looking to repeat a round one result which saw them prevail by a three-goal margin in round one with Jordi Swibel scoring a brace and Jesper Webber adding a third.
So, grab a hot chocolate, your thermals and join Steven Poletti either at the game or on NPL.TV. It’s another game that promises so much in a league which never disappoints.
By FNSW League One Men’s writer Justin Smith
