Round 8 Preview – League Two Men’s
With some teams in Australia Cup action this week, there are plenty of matches to be played as the Football New South Wales League Two Men’s competition enters Round Eight.
The Match of the Round this week sees Sydney University SFC play their first home match since Round Two as they host last-start winners Parramatta FC.
Elsewhere, South Coast Flame FC will look for back-to-back wins as the in-form Camden Tigers FC visit, Inner West Hawks FC will look to upset the ladder-leading Nepean FC, while Prospect United SC host second-placed UNSW FC.
Meanwhile, Gladesville Ryde Magic and Bankstown United FC face off after losses, Fraser Park FC and Hawkesbury City FC battle in a crucial clash while Western Rage will look for their first win of the season at home to the Newcastle Jets.
Hurstville FC have a bye this round.
Saturday, 25th March 2023
Match of the Round: Sydney University SFC vs Parramatta FC, 5pm @ Sydney University Football Ground
Previous Meeting: Parramatta FC 2-0 Sydney University SFC
Sydney University SFC dropped a lead as they fell 2-1 to Prospect United SC last round, while Parramatta FC won their first match of the season last week, 5-1 in the derby over the Western Rage.
Parramatta also had more joy this week as they came away 3-1 winners at home on Tuesday, March 21st over Sans Souci FC in the Australia Cup after extra-time, with two goals from Youssef Badr and one from Ricardo Gomes.
Sydney University, meanwhile, play their next Australia Cup match away against Oran Park Rovers on Wednesday, March 22nd.
These two teams meet for the first time since the 2019 NPL 3 NSW Men’s competition, where Parramatta FC came away 2-0 winners at home.
University is even with two wins, two draws and two losses so far this season and will hope to find some consistency soon.
They missed chances last week and lost after taking the lead against Prospect United SC; they will hope to rectify both of those issues.
If they can show energy and be more clinical in front of goal, they could claim all three points against a side hopeful of continuing their good progress in Parramatta FC.
Parramatta are unbeaten in three league matches after they claimed a big win in the derby over Western Rage last week and will look to build on a strong Australia Cup performance, too.
Youssef Badr has been the main man for Parramatta this season with five goals, complimented well by Marco Sama with three.
With a confidence-building win in the books and a few key men in form, Parramatta FC could claim back-to-back wins in this match.
With both sides fighting it out in the middle to lower table, the result of this could potentially kickstart either side’s season.
South Coast Flame FC vs Camden Tigers FC, 3:30pm @ Sir Ian McLennan Oval
Previous Meeting: Camden Tigers FC 1-2 South Coast Flame FC
South Coast Flame FC picked up their first win in three matches as they held off Bankstown United FC last week, while Camden Tigers FC scored a last-minute winner at home to Inner West Hawks FC.
Camden Tigers FC fell 4-2 at home in the Australia Cup on Tuesday, March 21st to Football NSW League One side Blacktown Spartans FC, who sit 5th in their league.
South Coast Flame FC are away to Australian Catholic University FC on Wednesday, 22nd March in their Australia Cup match.
Last season, the Flame took home all three points away to the Tigers in Round 18 as they completed the league double.
The Flame will look to build on their first-ever win over Bankstown United as they look up at the pack ahead of them in the table.
Adam Voloder scored another goal last week to bring his tally to six and will look to continue to be the main man for the Flame as they hunt the top clubs ahead of them.
The Tigers, meanwhile, will be riding the high of their stoppage time winner in the Match of the Round last week and will hope to start this match as well as they ended the last.
Leandro Guzman and Francesco Giannetto are the club’s leading goal scorers; however, last week showed that the Tigers have the fight in them to score from anyone and anywhere.
The Flame will look to bring the fight and win back-to-back matches, while the Tigers will chase their fourth-straight victory; this promises to be a hard-fought, crucial encounter.
Inner West Hawks FC vs Nepean FC, 7pm @ Arlington Oval
Previous Meeting: Stanmore Hawks 3-0 Nepean FC
Inner West Hawks FC fell in the final minute of stoppage time to Camden Tigers FC last week, while Nepean FC returned to their winning ways at home to Gladesville Ryde Magic.
The Hawks’ Australia Cup run continued after a Hesan Soufi double gave them a 2-1 away victory over League One side Hills United FC, who sat second in their division.
Nepean FC’s cup run ended after they could not hold their lead in a 2-1 away loss to Bulli FC; Nathan Price was sent off in the match for two yellow cards.
These two sides will meet for the first time since the 2015 Men’s State League One season, where the then-Stanmore Hawks came away 3-0 winners at home over Nepean FC.
Inner West Hawks FC are still in search of their first win of the season after they dropped a 2-0 lead in their 3-2 loss away to Camden Tigers FC last week.
If they can tighten up at the back and potentially release the likes of Hesan Soufi on the counter, they could trouble the ladder-leaders this week.
Nepean FC, meanwhile, are back flying high at the top of the table after their 1-0 win last week and will hope to stay top come the end of the round.
They will look to be aggressive in midfield and control play as they look to come away with the three points.
A desperate Hawks side facing a high-flying Nepean side means there’s sure to be plenty of action where the winner is never clear.
Prospect United SC vs UNSW FC, 7pm @ William Lawson Reserve
Previous Meeting: UNSW FC 0-1 Prospect United SC
Prospect United SC came from behind to claim a 2-1 home victory last week over Sydney University SFC, while UNSW FC lost their first match of the season 3-0 at home to Fraser Park FC.
Prospect won the last match-up between these two sides away in the first week of the finals series as a 62nd minute goal from David Muller sent them through to the next week.
They have spread the goals around the team this season, with six different goal scorers for their eight goals; they will hope to find a star man to take control and score more.
Prospect welcomed back a host of key players last week, including Luca Frasca and Bradley Dollin and will use the win to build momentum.
They created many chances last week and will look to convert those into more goals and points this week as they look to push up the table.
UNSW FC, meanwhile, will hope to pick themselves up after their first loss of the season last week.
They will be hoping for a much-improved performance and effort given the high levels they have shown already this season.
Expect them to be fired up and ready to respond against a side hopeful of winning back-to-back matches for the first time this season in Prospect.
With the home ground advantage for Prospect against the urge to make up for last week’s loss for UNSW, expect this to be an exciting match where both sides will do what it takes to win.
Gladesville Ryde Magic vs Bankstown United FC, 7pm @ Christie Park
Previous Meeting: Bankstown United 0-2 Gladesville Ryde Magic
Gladesville Ryde Magic fought hard in their loss to Nepean FC last week, while Bankstown United FC lost to South Coast Flame FC for the first time in their first defeat since Round Four.
These two sides will compete for the Stroke Recovery Cup this week; it is the third-annual running of the cup battle which aims to raise awareness of stroke and its signs and symptoms, rehabilitation after stroke and general important information and awareness of stroke.
The last time these two sides met was in League Two last season, where Gladesville completed the league double after a 2-0 away win.
Gladesville played an Australia Cup match on Tuesday, March 21st where they surrendered a 2-0 lead in their 3-2 loss to Como Jannali Football Club.
The Magic have lost back-to-back matches against tough opposition after they fell to the Newcastle Jets before they lost to Nepean FC last week.
They face another tough side in Bankstown United FC this week but will be hopeful of getting the three points at home.
They have goals in them this season and with a bit of luck, they could find themselves in the winner’s circle again this week.
Bankstown United FC, meanwhile, fielded a young squad in an Australia Cup match against Forest Killarney FC on Tuesday, March 21st, as they came from behind twice against an eventual nine-man side to win 3-2.
They will look to bounce back from their home loss to South Coast Flame FC in the league last week as they push towards the top of the table.
They will need to convert their match dominance and created chances into goals more regularly if they are to take down a powerful Magic side this week.
In a battle of fourth versus sixth with two points separating the two, the result of this matchup could have ramifications for each side’s momentum moving forward.
Fraser Park FC vs Hawkesbury City FC, 7pm @ Fraser Park
Previous Meeting: Hawkesbury City FC 2-2 Fraser Park FC
Fraser Park FC returned to winning ways since their first match of the season, last week, while Hawkesbury City FC failed to score for the first time this season in their loss last week.
A late Daniel Morsillo equaliser for Hawkesbury helped them earn a 2-2 draw at home to Fraser Park last season and both teams should be competitive against each other this season, too.
Fraser Park FC played in the Australia Cup Preliminary Rounds on Tuesday, March 21st and they came away convincing 9-0 winners at home to Roselands FC, as Samuel Shepherd grabbed a hat-trick.
Hawkesbury City FC play their next Australia Cup match on Wednesday, March 22nd at home to East Gosford FC, with hopes of reaching the next round.
Fraser Park FC will be buoyed after their 3-0 away win to the then-ladder leading UNSW FC as they look to springboard into the season.
The main threats for Fraser Park this season have been Alexander Nicolosi, Samuel Shepherd and Shu Torihara, who will all look to continue their form at home this week.
Fraser Park will hope to build on last week’s result and use it as a springboard for their season as Hawkesbury City FC visit.
Hawkesbury City were unable to convert chances early as they fell to Hurstville FC at home and will hope to make amends for that performance this week.
Marco Turpeinen and Harry Drew will lead the line for Hawkesbury, who are searching for their first win in four matches.
They, too, are hoping to kickstart their season sooner rather than later and find some form as the competition heads past the quarter-way-point of the season.
With two strong sides hoping to start picking up points in threes rather than ones, watch for this to be a strong encounter which could go either way.
Western Rage vs Newcastle Jets, 7pm @ Rydalmere Park
Previous Meeting: Western Rage 2-2 Newcastle Jets
The Western Rage will look to fight back after they lost in the derby to Parramatta FC last week, while the Newcastle Jets bounced back from their loss with a 3-0 win over Gladesville Ryde Magic.
These two sides met in the final round of last season in the Football New South Wales League Three Men’s competition, where the Jets fought back in the second half to claim a 2-2 away.
The Western Rage are in Australia Cup action on Wednesday, 22nd March away to Kanwal Warnervale FC and will be hoping to progress.
The Rage missed chances early against Parramatta FC last week in their 5-1 loss and will look to be more clinical this week.
They are yet to win their first match this season but will be looking for an upset again the high-flying Jets.
If they can capitalise on chances and their top goal scorer Timothy Borg-Williams can get involved, they can manage the match early to get a result this week.
The Newcastle Jets, meanwhile, come into this match off a bye last round after their 3-0 win over the Magic the week before.
The Jets have six players on two goals or above this season and will look to utilise Moonib Adus to create and score chances this week.
If they can show the same fight they showed in that match against the Magic, with a squad with a week of rest, they could come out firing against the Rage.
If the Rage can withhold the Jets early and be positive in creating chances of their own, they could get a result out of this match, while the Jets will hope to continue to fight at the top of the ladder.
Bye: Hurstville FC
By Football New South Wales League Two Men’s Writer, Dylan Costa @_dylancosta
