Round 20 Preview – League One Men’s
With the fixtures coming thick and fast, it must nearly be finals time and round 20 of the League One Men’s Competition presents plenty of intrigue as teams look to finish the season on a high.
In a preview which includes a review, the usual preview, and a look at a round 22 matchup. We’ll tell you all you need to know before the week ahead.
Round 22 Rescheduled match: NWS Spirit FC v Mounties Wanderers FC; Wednesday 20th July, 7:45, Christie Park (The Arctic Circle)
I’ll keep this one short as it technically doesn’t belong in a round 20 preview. NWS Spirit FC host Mounties Wanderers with a win taking them to a nine-point buffer over Northern Tigers.
The Spirit who are on a long unbeaten streak stretching all the way back to round 7 will go into this one favourites. But it won’t be an easy one though with Mounties Wanderers perhaps recapturing a little bit of form going into the final few games.
Every game at this point in the season feels like a big one and if you have a free Wednesday night, why not catch the live stream, you’ll certainly be warmer than the commentator there.
Our Pick: Hakoah FC v Northern Tigers FC; Saturday 23 July, 7pm, Hensley Athletic Field
It’s do or die time for Hakoah who need three points to have any chance of finals when they meet fifth placed Northern Tigers.
Yeah, it’s safe to say Hakoah would have been cheering for any other result then the one they got on Tuesday night. Now with a six-point gap to the Tigers above them with three games to play, this one has become a must-win affair.
Last weekend, they held their own against Western Sydney Wanderers away from home going into the break with a goal advantage courtesy of goals to Conor Earley and Luiz Lobo before seeing it disappear in the second half. Having proved they can match it with the better sides in the competition, Luka Hrzina’s side will be looking for a repeat dosage of their round nine victory over Northern Tigers.
Speaking of, the Tigers too have plenty to play for like their opposition. Yes, a midweek victory kept their feint promotion hopes alive (at least for another 24 hours), while also solidifying themselves inside the top five finals picture.
And sometimes it is just that one spark which can create a flame going into the back end of the season. Ollie Wiggin scored the decisive goal early in their clash against SD Raiders, becoming the first player to score for the Tigers in over a month. While they also have stand-in keeper Ivan Josipovic to thank, Josipovic making several key saves for a team he played in the cup against earlier this season.
As potentially three sides look to take the premiership race down to the wire, this one match will decide which one of these two sides has a crack at the championship. Make sure you catch this one on NPL.TV, Saturday evening.
Western Sydney Wanderers FC v SD Raiders FC; Saturday 23 July, 7pm, Wanderers Football Park
Competition leaders Western Sydney Wanderers host their last home game of the season when they welcome SD Raiders this weekend.
The young Wanderers have found their early season goalscoring ways in recent weeks, scoring nine goals in their past two fixtures against Bonnyrigg and Hakoah. Last weekend it was victory over Hakoah in a seven-goal thriller behind closed doors.
And in true Wanderers style, the scoring was shared around with four different scorers finding the net including a Jarrod Carluccio brace. Carluccio utilizing his A-league experience returning to the League One set up. After missing his first game of the campaign last weekend, we should also see the return of Wanderers captain Dean Pelekanos in this fixture.
SD Raiders on the other hand have found themselves on the end of a poor set of results in recent times culminating in a narrow loss against Northern Tigers, Tuesday night (see the review below). Since we last discussed them in a preview, they also lost a local derby this past weekend against Bonnyrigg.
However, if we take a closer look at their most recent clash, a few things were apparent. The first being a positive in that they consistently threatened the Tigers defense and goalkeeper with Franco Maya and Riley Cox-Barlow contributing on that front. The second thing can be taken either way with Joshua Glasson making several key interventions in goal.
History isn’t on the Raiders side though having lost both their previous meetings with the Wanderers.
St George FC v NWS Spirit FC; Saturday 23 July, 7pm, Rockdale Ilinden Sports Centre
After a false start against Bonnyrigg a fortnight ago, St George FC return to their temporary home to face NWS Spirit, Saturday night.
It will be the second game for the Saints with Nefta Gonzalez in the dugout after he made his coaching debut last weekend. That one didn’t go to plan though with the Saints going down to Hills United at Blacktown City Sports Centre.
However, it would be fair enough to suggest that not playing a match in two weeks prior contributed to the result with the Saints struggling to get their footing early in the contest, it being an uphill task from there. Harry Jones stood out in midfield in an impressive individual performance rewarded with a goal, his third of the season.
Seventeen matches unbeaten, last weekend was perhaps bittersweet for David Perkovic and his NWS Spirit side. Playing a game or two more than their premiership competitors, a draw last weekend against St George City perhaps ruined their chance at finishing top after 22 rounds.
But it is football after all, and stranger things have happened. Perkovic’s side continue to impress building their game from the back and have only conceded two or more goals three times in their league one campaign after 19 rounds. While Musashi Kokubo continues to be a weapon from the set-piece scoring his fourth goal of the season last weekend.
Mounties Wanderers FC v St George City; Saturday 23 July, 8pm, VSP 2
Mounties Wanderers host another premiership hopeful in St George City at Valentine Sports Park, Saturday night.
The hosts Mounties Wanderers will want to go all out in trying to upset their opponents.
However, Jerry Bilokapic’s side have seemingly turned a corner in the last couple of weeks. Prevailing over Hills United in round 18 before sharing the spoils last weekend against Blacktown Spartans in a game which could have gone either way. Mounties perhaps dominating the first half but leaving it late to score a goal through Bruno Pivato.
Although the premiership is not in their control currently, you would be brave to tip against St George City who still have a game in hand over Western Sydney Wanderers. Winning three of their last four while drawing the other last week, Mirko Jurilj’s side have almost clinched the coveted promotion they have deserved these past couple of seasons.
And it’s probably come at just the right time as well, with a few injuries striking the squad as of late. Last weekend against Spirit, both Stephen Athanaseris and Jordan Morfitis were casualties of a tight tussle and will most likely miss this one. While Alexander Kyriacou has returned to the club to replace Brendan Hooper who is also out injured. They will also be boosted by the inclusion of Tarik Ercan here.
Bonnyrigg White Eagles FC v Blacktown Spartans FC; Saturday 23 July, 7pm, Bonnyrigg Sports Club
Bonnyrigg White Eagles will back up 48 hours after their Australia Cup outing when they welcome Blacktown Spartans to Bonnyrigg Sports Club.
You get the sense that the end of the League One Men’s season can’t come soon enough for Bonnyrigg White Eagles. After holding hopes of promotion, they sit in 9th after eighteen rounds, seventeen points adrift of NWS Spirit in fourth position.
Yet in a season of gloom, last weekend saw one of the bright moments of the season with a local derby victory over SD Raiders. Joshua Karantz, Jack Kuipers and Sam Gallaway produced the goals in their round nineteen fixture. It will be a tough task however given their cup fixture two days before against Oakleigh Cannons.
Blacktown Spartans on the other hand still have a chance at finishing best of the rest this season and could have a major say in the premiership race with fixtures against Central Coast Mariners and St George City still to play.
Having come into the season with a goal of building a longer-term project, you have to say that they are well placed for beyond this current season. Last weekend, it was another draw for the Spartans (their 6th of the season) against Mounties Wanderers. Suleyman Bangura found the net early in the second half during a period where they really looked to take the initiative.
Last time these two sides met Blacktown Spartans prevailed by two goals back in May.
Central Coast Mariners FC v Hills United FC; Sunday 24 July, 3pm, Pluim Park
Central Coast Mariners host Hills United to round out our weekend of action, Sunday afternoon.
With four games remaining in the regular season, Central Coast Mariners are close to claiming back-to-back premierships. Sitting two points behind the Wanderers with a game in hand against Blacktown Spartans, Andrew Christiansen’s side will be keen to finish the job with three of their last four games at home.
Last weekend, the young Mariners travelled down to North Turramurra and came back with three points. Stefan Nikolic and Jackson Khoury scored the goals, but it was their defensive solidarity which stood out. With the back four of Joshua Hong, Dean Larson, Sasha Kuzevski and Jakob Cresnar all impressing. However, the win did come at a cost with Ezra Palombini, Nikolic and Kuzevski all coming off injured in the fixture.
They face a Hills United side who put in one of their best performances of the season in round nineteen action. Sitting seven points adrift of 11th place, the table isn’t doing Brian “Bomber” Browns side justice after nineteen rounds.
So, let’s look more closely at their round nineteen triumph over St George FC. Key to it was the start of the first half, with Hills mounting wave after wave of attacks in the opening ten minutes. Rewarded with a Wade Giovenali goal (his 6th of the season) before substitutes Jordan Parfait and Vincent D’Ermilio both scored after coming off the bench.
Last time these two met, Lachie Bayliss was the difference with a brace back in round nine.
R17 washout reschedule: SD Raiders FC 0 v Northern Tigers FC 1 (Wiggin 11’)
Northern Tigers secured a vital win to keep their top four chances alive defeating SD Raiders on Tuesday night.
Needing a win to keep their slim promotion hopes alive, The Tigers started in the best way possible with Ollie Wiggin opening the score just after 10 minutes. A high press resulting in them winning the ball in an advanced position before Wiggin’s shot took a deflection on its way towards goal.
While Franco Maya was proving a threat at the other end. Tigers’ keeper Ivan Josipovic producing a good save thirty-five minutes in. Josipovic denying Maya’s shot as it headed for the top left corner of the net.
Josipovic was needed again soon after. This time backing up his spectacular save previously with a one-on-one stop to deny Mark Cindric who was clear of the defense.
While the Tigers also had a chance to extend their lead, Bailey Rule not able to beat Joshua Glasson in the Raiders goal after making his way in from his wing on the right. Which again was followed by another couple of chances other their own. Rule, Alexander Brown, and Jack Fulton all having further chances to double their advantage.
Like the first half, the second half saw it continue as an open contest with Riley Cox-Barlow having an opportunity at one end while Jamie Lobb and Travis Oughtred had a chance at the other.
The best chance of the half saved for halfway through the second half, substitute Ollie Scott nearly slipping it past the Raiders keeper, only to be denied by Nicholas Kambouris on the goal line. Glasson once again coming up big five minutes after that to deny Scott again.
Tigers continued to mount pressure on their visitors but weren’t able to extend their advantage.
By League One Men’s Writer Justin Smith
