Round 22 Preview – League Two Men’s
A special Round 22 of action awaits in the 2024 Football NSW League Two Men’s season, with top sides clashing amid some important matches.
The Match of the Round this week sees Gladesville Ryde Magic host Bankstown United FC in a big match for the away side’s promotion hopes this season.
Saturday, 29th June 2024
Match of the Round: Gladesville Ryde Magic vs Bankstown United FC, 5pm at Christie Park
Previous Meeting: Bankstown United FC 3-1 Gladesville Ryde Magic
A big Match of the Round this week sees Gladesville Ryde Magic host Bankstown United FC in a big clash for the away side’s promotion hopes.
When these two teams met in Round Seven’s Match of the Round, it was Bankstown who was victorious at home – they will hope to repeat that feat away as they look to keep up their fight near the top of the table.
2nd-placed Bankstown United FC returned to winning ways last week after a big 4-1 away win over Camden Tigers FC and will look to continue their charge from 2nd on the ladder.
They currently sit nine points behind the league-leading Newcastle Jets with a match in hand and will hope to continue to hold off the charge of the three teams behind them who can challenge them for both the title and the promotion playoff spot of 2nd.
Mitchell Cross’ two goals last week gave him a three-goal lead in the Golden Boot race as he moved to 23 for the season – look for him to want to score in back-to-back head-to-head matches against the Magic.
14th-placed Gladesville Ryde Magic, meanwhile, are coming off the back of a second win in three weeks after their 2-0 home win over Hurstville FC and would love to have their say on Bankstown’s season.
The Magic will hope to build on their strong few weeks as they look to play for pride this season.
A win for Gladesville could also lift them further away from the foot of the table as their form in the latter stages of the season takes a turn for the better.
With plenty at stake in terms of league position and pride for Bankstown, and the Magic looking to claim a big scalp this season, expect both sides to give their all as they chase the three points.
Friday, 28th June 2024
Mounties Wanderers FC vs Newcastle Jets, 8pm at Cook Park (Mt Pritchard)
Previous Meeting: Newcastle Jets 1-0 Mounties Wanderers FC
A big clash near the top of the table sees 4th-placed Mounties Wanderers FC look to be the team to end the ladder-leading Newcastle Jets’ unbeaten season in a match which should provide plenty of drama.
When these two teams met in Round Seven, the Jets came away tight 1-0 winners thanks to a 50th minute goal from Justin Vidic – expect this match to be just as tight as the two sides chase their own promotion dreams this season.
Mounties had their eight-match unbeaten run, and their six-match winning streak, ended in their Round 20 away clash to Central Coast United FC and were unable to make amends after their Round 21 clash away to Fraser Park FC was washed out.
They are one point ahead of 5th-placed South Coast Flame FC with two matches in hand and have one and two matches in hand, respectively, over 2nd-placed Bankstown United FC and 3rd-placed Inner West Hawks FC, who are one and two points ahead of Mounties, respectively.
Looking to be the side to end the Jets’ unbeaten season is motivation enough, but with places so tight in the battle for the title and the promotion playoff spot of 2nd, expect Mounties to take the match to the Jets, where Yuki Kanai will look to add to his 20 goals for the season.
The Newcastle Jets, meanwhile, continued their unbeaten season into a 20th match after they recorded another strong win, this time 4-0 over Parramatta FC.
The Jets have only conceded 14 goals this season, which is the best in the league, and scored 65 goals – that is an average of 3.25 goals per game, which just highlights the season they are having.
Expect the Jets to be full of running on Friday night as they look to potentially extend their lead at the top of the table to 12 points.
A genuine battle between two of the toughest teams in the league will see both sides give their all in their pursuit of promotion – will Mounties keep up their charge or will the Jets’ unbeaten season continue?
Saturday, 29th June 2024
Parramatta FC vs Granville FC, 5pm at Melita Stadium
Previous Meeting: Granville Rage 2-1 Parramatta FC
A western Sydney derby will see bragging rights up for grabs when 11th-placed Parramatta FC host 7th-placed Granville Rage.
Granville came away with the three points at home in the Round Seven head-to-head clash between these two sides and will hope to complete the league double as they look to break away from a tight mid-table pack.
Parramatta were on a run of three-straight draws before their 4-0 away loss to the Newcastle Jets last week and will hope to win their first match since Round 13 when they play this week.
Last week was the first time Parramatta had failed to score in a match all season and they will hope that the test against the Jets will hold them in good stead moving forward.
A win for Parramatta could see them rise two spots into 9th on the ladder, while a loss could see them drop one spot to 12th – expect them to be fired up when they face their local rivals this weekend.
Granville, meanwhile, had their three-match winning streak snapped last week in a tight 1-0 loss away to Central Coast United FC in the Match of the Round and will hope to put up another fighting performance this weekend, this time out of the rain.
Last week was the first time since Round 15 that the Rage have failed to score in a match, and they will hope to return to winning ways sooner rather than later.
A win for the Rage would keep their hopes of a 6th-placed finish this season alive and would help them hold off the many teams behind them looking to finish as high as possible in a stacked mid-table – a loss, meanwhile, could see them drop to as low as 9th.
With positions and bragging rights up for grabs in the local western Sydney derby, expect both sides to be fired up as they hunt down some local pride.
Sydney University SFC vs Central Coast United FC, 5pm at Sydney University Football Ground
Previous Meeting: Central Coast United FC 2-1 Sydney University SFC
Last-placed Sydney University SFC will hope to take a step towards climbing off the bottom of the league when they host a 6th-placed Central Coast United FC side which is hoping to continue their charge up the ladder.
When these two sides met in Round Seven, a goal each from Ben Flakus and Mark Partridge helped the Pirates to a 2-1 home win – expect this match to be tight given that match and recent matches the two sides have played.
Sydney University SFC had a bye in Round 21 and will hope to win their first match since Round Three when they host the Pirates this weekend.
The students played a mid-week Round 19 catch-up match at home to South Coast Flame FC on Tuesday, 25th June and took the lead twice before they eventually fell 5-3 – Jesse Hirschowitz and Isaac Folkes will be buoyed by their double and goal, respectively, however.
Expect the students to be compact defensively and make the match hard for the Pirates away from home as they look to potentially close the gap to 14th-placed Gladesville Ryde Magic to just one point.
Central Coast United, meanwhile, picked up a tight and tense 1-0 home win over Granville Rage in last week’s Match of the Round and will hope to pick up a third-straight win this week.
They have won both of their last two matches 1-0 in a show of their defensive strength and resilience, as well as their ability to find a goal when it matters – they also have goalkeeper Zayd Husain to thank for that, who has put in solid performances between the sticks for the Pirates this season.
A win for the Pirates could move them to within six points of 5th-placed South Coast Flame FC with a match in hand, while a loss could see their gap to 7th place drop to just one point.
Both teams will want to hunt down the three points with only about a quarter of the season to go – expect both sides to put in strong performances across the park.
Fraser Park FC vs Camden Tigers FC, 7pm at Fraser Park
Previous Meeting: Camden Tigers FC 4-0 Fraser Park FC
Two teams looking to return to the winners’ list this weekend sees 13th-placed Fraser Park FC host 10th-placed Camden Tigers FC.
Camden ran in their equal-second biggest win of the season when they hosted Fraser Park in Round Seven with a 4-0 win – expect this match to be filled with chances with both teams in good attacking form.
Fraser Park have not played a match since June 7th after rain has caused their past two matches to be postponed – they will hope to return refreshed and ready to take on Camden this weekend.
With as many as three matches in hand on some teams ahead of them, Fraser Park will hope to use their matches in hand to build some momentum heading into the final part of the season.
Fraser Park have scored in their past ten matches and will hope to continue that streak, combining it with a strong defensive effort at home, as they look to make amends for their previous loss to Camden this season.
Camden, meanwhile, went a sixth-straight match without a win after their 4-1 home loss to Bankstown United FC last week and will hope to return to the winners’ list this weekend against a side they had a big win over earlier in the season.
The Tigers will be working hard to turn around their form this season – since their 5-0 away win over Granville Rage, they have not won a match but will hope to add to their tally of 40 goals for the season in their pursuit of a big win.
A win for the Tigers could see them rise to as high as 7th on the ladder, while a loss could see them drop down a spot to 11th.
With Fraser Park and Camden Tigers both hopeful of finding their best in this match, expect there to be plenty of chances as both sides look to claim the three points.
Prospect United SC vs Hawkesbury City FC, 7pm at Blacktown Exercise Sports and Technology Hub
Previous Meeting: Hawkesbury City FC 1-4 Prospect United SC
Two teams looking to turn around their form this week sees 9th-placed Prospect United SC host 12th-placed Hawkesbury City FC.
Prospect ran out big 4-1 winners in the Round Seven match between these two sides and both sides will hope to respond from tough last-start losses when they meet.
Prospect could not back up their win against Camden Tigers FC after they lost 2-1 away to South Coast Flame FC last week.
Despite creating many chances last week, Prospect were unable to find the clinical edge in front of goal and will hope to rectify that this week.
Anthony Idehen continued his strong season with his 14th goal of the campaign last week – expect him to be the focal point of the Prospect attack as they look to climb to as high as 7th with a win this week, while a loss could see them drop to as low as 11th.
Hawkesbury City, meanwhile, fell to back-to-back losses after they were defeated 3-0 away by Inner West Hawks FC last week.
They have failed to score in back-to-back matches for the third time this season and will want to avoid extending that streak to a third match this week.
With a young side looking to improve, expect the Hawks to put more emphasis on their performance rather than their result this week, which could bring with it some freedom in attack.
With Camden and Hawkesbury looking to pick up good wins and play some positive football, expect plenty of chances in this encounter.
South Coast Flame FC vs Inner West Hawks FC, 7pm at Sir Ian McLennan Oval
Previous Meeting: Inner West Hawks FC 3-1 South Coast Flame FC
With the top five sides so tight, clashes do not come much bigger than between 5th-placed South Coast Flame FC and 3rd-placed Inner West Hawks FC, with the two teams separated by just two points.
When these two teams met earlier in the season, it was the Hawks who came away with a strong 3-1 home win to end the then-unbeaten Flame’s season – the Hawks will hope to hunt a big double this season, while the Flame will hope to get revenge.
South Coast Flame FC recorded back-to-back wins following a mid-week 5-3 away victory away over Sydney University SFC with two goals from Alexander Alston, and a goal each from Samuel Alston, James Baldacchino and Jyden Harb bring the Flame to victory.
That was the first time the Flame have recorded back-to-back wins since Round 16, and they will hope to continue to build positive momentum as they look to hunt down a top-two finish this season.
A win for the Flame could see them jump up from 5th place into 2nd place on goal difference, with Bankstown United FC just three points ahead of the Flame on 41 points – they will hope to pick up a big win this week over the Hawks.
Inner West Hawks FC, meanwhile, went a seventh match unbeaten after they defeated Hawkesbury City FC 3-0 last week and will hope to keep up with the teams around them as they hunt down a shot at promotion this season – they have also only conceded two goals total from their past five matches.
Takuma Hirano’s battle up front will be to add to his 16 goals for the season, while at the other end of the pitch Michael Trajkovski will hope to add to his 20 goals for the season for the Flame in what should be an intriguing battle between the two forwards.
A win for the Hawks could see them rise to 2nd and close the gap to the league-leading Newcastle Jets to potentially seven points, while a loss could see them drop to as low as 5th in what is a tight top of the table.
With the Flame and the Hawks firing and flying high, the battle between South Coast and Inner West should bring with it plenty of twists and turns as the battle for potential promotion this season heats up.
8th-placed Hurstville FC have a bye in Round 22.
By Football New South Wales League Two Men’s Reporter, Dylan Costa (@_dylancosta)
