Round 6 Preview – League Two Men’s
With five rounds in the books, the Football NSW League Two Men’s competition is starting to take shape as it reaches Round Six.
The Match of the Round this week sees Hawkesbury City FC look to build off their first win of the season when they host a high-flying Inner West Hawks FC.
Friday, 15th March 2024
Match of the Round: Hawkesbury City FC vs Inner West Hawks FC, 8pm at David Bertenshaw Field
Last season: Inner West Hawks FC 4-1 Hawkesbury City FC, Hawkesbury City FC 2-0 Inner West Hawks FC
A battle of the Hawks headlines Round Six as last-start winners Hawkesbury City FC hosts a high-flying Inner West Hawks FC.
The spoils were shared between these two sides last season with a home win each in the head-to-head and with both teams possessing their own strengths to start the season, both will be hoping to pick up a big win here.
Hawkesbury held on late as they triumphed in a 3-2 away win over Fraser Park FC last week and will hope that first three points of the season will help them build confidence moving forward.
After back-to-back scoreless weeks, Hawkesbury have found their clinical edge in front of goal with the likes of Duncan Stewart and Daniel Morsillo; they will hope that confidence to hit the back of the net carries on to Round Six.
With 18 shots in their last match, expect Hawkesbury to settle early to fire at the Inner West goal where they will hope their forward players can bring them more success.
Inner West Hawks, meanwhile, moved to four matches unbeaten but gave up a 3-1 lead to draw 3-3 away to Parramatta FC last week.
Inner West will have hoped to earn more respect from their early-season form and will hope to continue to be competitive as they chase down the top sides in the competition.
Takuma Hirano is already chasing down his 10th goal of the season for Inner West – expect him to be the main threat as they look to play more attacking football, especially with depth in attack.
A battle of the Hawks should provide a contest between two sides who like to play attacking football – whoever can hold their nerve late will take this one out and push up the ladder.
Hurstville FC vs Gladesville Ryde Magic, 8pm at Penshurst Park
Last season: Hurstville FC 2-0 Gladesville Ryde Magic, Gladesville Ryde Magic 4-0 Hurstville FC
Hurstville FC will hope to end their five-match losing streak to start the season as they host Gladesville Ryde Magic, who have six points from five matches.
Both home teams picked up the respective wins in the head-to-head this season and the home advantage may play its part as both sides look to take down a difficult opponent.
Hurstville FC gave up a 1-0 lead as they fell 2-1 to Granville Rage last week and will hope to put their chances away at home this week.
Hurstville got into plenty of attacking areas last week, but the final pass or shot was missing in front of goal – they had nine shots on target last week but were only able to convert one of them from many dangerous attacks.
Expect Hurstville to focus on being much more clinical at home as they look to win at home against Gladesville for a second-straight season.
The Magic, meanwhile, stopped a run of back-to-back losses with a 2-1 home win over Sydney University SFC last week and will hope to win back-to-back matches for the first time this season when they travel to Hurstville.
The Magic have had five different goal scorers from their eight goals so far this season and will hope to keep sharing the responsibilities, while they will also hope one player can stand up in attack and fire them forward this season.
With the teams above them dropping points last week, the Magic can hope to build some consistency as they look to build into the season.
With both sides full of attacking threat and with plenty to prove in this match, expect many chances for both sides where whoever can be more clinical will take home the three points.
Mounties Wanderers FC vs Fraser Park FC, 8pm at Cook Park (Mt Pritchard)
These two teams did not meet last season.
Mounties Wanderers FC are flying as the new league leaders at the top of the ladder and host a Fraser Park side hoping to end a three-match losing streak in Round Six.
With no encounters from last season to base this clash on, this matchup will provide a new challenge for both sides as they look to take home the three points.
Mounties put in a statement victory over their fellow League One Men’s side from last season, Central Coast United FC, with a 3-0 win – that victory was their third in a row where they have kept a clean sheet.
Yuki Kanai has led the line for Mounties this season so far, with eight goals from his first five matches, while Brima Kamara, Eijin Kishimoto and Anthony Vastag all have three goals each supporting him.
Mounties got forward on many occasions last week and fired 20 shots at goal, while they did not give up many chances in defence; look for them to be as formidable in this clash as they have all season as they look to remain top of the league, undefeated.
Fraser Park showed plenty of fighting spirit in their 3-2 loss at home to Hawkesbury City FC last week and will hope to carry that into Round Six as they look to take down the competition leaders.
Alexander Nicolosi, Teddy Kayombo and David Ustimenko all have three goals this season and Fraser Park will hope their attack will lead them in this encounter; they have not failed to score in a match so far this season.
If Fraser Park can remain astute defensively, especially against the pace and speed of attack of Mounties, they should be able to set up well to create opportunities against Mounties, which they will hope to take.
With the league leaders hoping to hold off the tough competition behind them, up against a side which is hoping to end their losing streak sooner rather than later, expect a tense tactical battle where whoever can figure out the other side early will have the upper hand.
Saturday, 16th March 2024
Parramatta FC vs Newcastle Jets, 5pm at Melita Stadium
Last season: Parramatta FC 3-5 Newcastle Jets, Newcastle Jets 3-2 Parramatta FC
Parramatta FC host a Newcastle Jets side which are five matches unbeaten to start the season in Round Six.
The Jets completed the league double over the Eagles last season but with much change between the two sides and different form heading into this clash, expect a tight clash where attacking threat will be on display, as well as strong defensive actions.
Parramatta came from 3-1 down last week against Inner West Hawks FC and hope that fighting spirit will continue and serve them well against one of the form teams of the competition in the Newcastle Jets.
Youssef Badr scored four goals in two matches against Newcastle last season, including a hat-trick at home, and will hope to be a big threat to the Jets at home once again.
Look for Parramatta to put in plenty of desire in a clash where they will need to be at their best to come away with the three points.
The Newcastle Jets gave up a lead twice as they came away with a 2-2 draw away to South Coast Flame FC in last week’s Match of the Round and will hope to continue their unbeaten start to the season in their fourth away match in a row.
The Jets have scored 14 goals in their first five matches, with Janni Rafty leading the pack with four goals, ahead of Alex Nunes, Xavier Bertoncello and Justin Vidic on three.
Look for the Jets to be full of running as they look to score early to disrupt their opponents and take home three points which could send them to the top of the league.
With a team hoping to fire up after a comeback last week in Parramatta up against a team with tireless energy which is chasing a sixth-straight match without a loss, expect there to be plenty of lessons learned from both teams out of this match.
Prospect United SC vs South Coast Flame FC, 5pm at William Lawson Park
Last season: Prospect United SC 1-2 South Coast Flame FC, South Coast Flame FC 1-1 Prospect United SC
Two teams who have had contrasting starts to the season meet in Round Six when Prospect United SC host South Coast Flame FC.
The Flame held on for a win in their Round Two clash last season, while Prospect battled for a point in the reverse fixture; with changes to both sides since their last encounter, expect there to be plenty for the two teams to prove in this clash.
Prospect picked up their first win of the season after they held on for a 2-1 away win over Camden Tigers FC last week and will hope that victory can be the springboard for more wins in the coming weeks.
They will hope to be more clinical as the weeks go on as they got into plenty of dangerous areas last week, but only scored two goals; look for the likes of Athony Idehen to continue to fire in attack.
Look for Prospect to use their pace, especially on the counter, against the Flame as they will hope to exploit any weaknesses they can find in the Flame defence.
South Coast Flame, meanwhile, showed fighting spirit as they came from behind twice against the Newcastle Jets in last week’s Match of the Round and will hope to continue their unbeaten start to the season this week.
Michael Trajkovski scored another goal last week, which took him to seven goals in five matches this season, and the forward will be the main threat in attack for the Flame against with his pace and smart play up front.
Look for the Flame to be solid defensively, as they have conceded the fewest number of goals so far this season with only four conceded in five matches, as they look to keep up with the sides at the top of the league.
With a team coming off their first win of the season up against a side which has set the pace early, expect there to be a clash of styles which will make for some entertaining football in a match which should be tense.
Bankstown United FC vs Camden Tigers FC, 7pm at Padstow Park
Last season: Bankstown United FC 4-2 Camden Tigers FC, Camden Tigers FC 6-3 Bankstown United FC
Two teams who provided plenty of entertainment in their head-to-head clashes last season will hope to fire up once again as they meet in Round Six.
Last season, Bankstown came from behind in a six-goal-thriller to win 4-2 at home, while in the reverse fixture, Camden came from behind for a 6-3 victory; in a clash between two sides which does not disappoint, expect this one to provide just as much entertainment.
Bankstown United come into this clash off their bye last week, which followed back-to-back wins, and will hope to come in refreshed and ready to take on an attacking threat in the Tigers.
The hosts will hope to use their physicality to disrupt the Tigers in this clash and will rely on the likes of Mitchell Cross, who has scored four goals from his opening four matches this season, to lead them to another victory.
Look for Bankstown to keep the match steady early as they look to stop the early threat of the Tigers going forward as they chase a third-straight win.
Camden Tigers, meanwhile, will hope their positive football will bring more results after they fell at home to Prospect United last week.
The Tigers have not failed to score in a match this season so far and will hope to continue that streak through the many attacking players their have in their side.
Look for the Tigers to start quickly, hold the ball and try to have the better of the field position as they look to return to the winner’s circle after back-to-back losses.
With Bankstown coming in fresh off a bye and the Tigers looking to turn their good performances into points, expect both teams to go at the match early through their attacking players, where a moment or two could decide the contest.
Granville Rage vs Central Coast United FC, 7pm at Rydalmere Park
These two teams did not meet last season.
Granville Rage will hope to build off a second victory in three matches as they host a Central Coast United side which has lost their past two matches.
These two teams did not face each other last season but their contrasting styles of play should make for an intriguing encounter.
Granville Rage came from a goal down in their 2-1 home victory over Hurstville FC and will hope that fighting spirit can carry them to another positive result this week.
Nikola Todoroski has five goals from his opening five matches and will look to lead the line for the Rage once again, alongside Ante Tomic, who picked up a goal last week.
The Rage turned the pressure up and forced a lot of turnovers last week as they looked to up the intensity in their play without the ball; expect them to do similar to the Pirates this week as they look to put pressure on a side wanting to return to the winner’s circle.
Central Coast, meanwhile, lost a second match in a row, with a bye in between, after their 3-0 away loss to the tough Mounties Wanderers FC last week.
Having played tough opponents in the Newcastle Jets and Mounties in back-to-back matches, the Pirates will hope to end their two-match scoreless streak when they face the Rage.
Look for Central Coast to hold the ball and break down the Rage as they look to return to their success from the first two rounds of the season.
With a Rage side which is picking up results and climbing the ladder up against a Central Coast side looking to put a few tough matches and weeks behind them, expect both sides to look to execute their gameplans early where the first goal in the match could make all the difference.
Sydney University SFC have a bye this round.
By Football New South Wales League Two Men’s Reporter, Dylan Costa (@_dylancosta)
