Round 9 Preview – League Two Men’s
A super Saturday of action awaits in Round Nine of the 2025 Football NSW League Two Men’s season, with all seven matches taking place on the same day.
The Match of the Round this week sees a western Sydney derby, with Nepean FC looking to turn around their fortunes against their local rivals in Prospect United SC.
Saturday, 5th April 2025
Match of the Round: Nepean FC vs Prospect United SC, 7pm at Cook Park (St Marys)
These two teams did not meet last season.
A western Sydney derby will reignite in Round Nine when Nepean FC look to get back on the winners list at home to Prospect United SC, who have been in strong form this season.
These two teams last met in the 2023 League Two Men’s season, where Nepean recorded a 1-0 home win in the opening round of the season before Prospect responded with a 3-0 home win in the reverse fixture.
Nepean come into this contest off the back of four losses in a row and five matches without a win after their 1-0 away loss to Granville Rage in Round Seven but will take confidence from their performance against the Rage.
Having had their home match against Sydney University SFC washed out last week, Nepean will hope to return from the week of not playing stronger as they look to win their first match since Round Two.
Expect Nepean to make some of their chances count, particularly from corners with the high number of those they have been earning in recent weeks, as they look to snap their losing streak.
Prospect, meanwhile, won a fourth match from their past five after their 2-0 home win over Central Coast United FC last week and will hope to continue their good run of form as they look to make a mark on the competition this season.
That match also gave them their third clean sheet of the season and they will hope to build on that, while they will also hope to defeat Nepean for just the second time from their past five head-to-head matches.
Expect Prospect to not only start the match well, but also the second half, given they have scored six of the 13 goals in their past five matches in the 15 minutes after the break.
A western Sydney derby always throws up plenty of surprises and this one promises to do the same, with the result never guaranteed.
Gladesville Ryde Magic vs Parramatta FC, 5pm at Christie Park
Last season: Gladesville Ryde Magic 0-5 Parramatta FC, Parramatta FC 5-0 Gladesville Ryde Magic
Gladesville Ryde Magic will hope to respond from a tough last-start loss, while Parramatta FC will look to continue their charge near the top when the two teams meet in Round Nine.
Last season, Parramatta put in a five-star performance in both matches against the Magic, winning 5-0 both home and away – they will hope to go a fourth-straight head-to-head match unbeaten against the Magic, who will hope to turn their fortunes around.
Gladesville suffered a 5-0 loss away to Hawkesbury City FC last week and will hope to put in a good performance as a response when they take on the Eagles.
Having won three of their four home matches this season, the Magic will hope to continue that form while they will also hope to create more chances in this match.
Expect the Magic to step up as they look to improve their goal tally this season, with only nine goals scored from their first eight matches.
Parramatta, meanwhile, had their match at home to Hurstville Zagreb FC last week washed out and having had their bye the week before, will be playing their first league match in three weeks.
Having only suffered one loss this season, the Eagles will hope to continue their strong run of form as they chase a fifth-straight win.
Expect the Eagles to put Gladesville under pressure early, with goals in their matches this season being spread across the 90 minutes thus far.
With Gladesville looking for a response and Parramatta hunting down a sixth-straight win, both sides will be eager to start the match well with the first goal all-important.
Hurstville Zagreb FC vs South Coast Flame FC, 5pm at Penshurst Park
Last season: Hurstville Zagreb FC 1-2 South Coast Flame FC, South Coast Flame FC 0-3 Hurstville Zagreb FC
Both Hurstville Zagreb FC and South Coast Flame FC come into this match on good form, with the ladder-leading Hurstville looking to make a statement against the highest-scoring side this season, the Flame.
Last season, both away teams picked up wins, with the Flame winning 2-1 away before Hurstville won 3-0 down the coast; the Flame have, however, won three of their past four head-to-head matches over Hurstville.
Hurstville had their away match to Parramatta FC washed out last week, so will come into this match rested and ready to take on the Flame.
Declan Sheldon scored in both matches against the Flame last season, while on the defensive end Hurstville remain as one of the best sides regarding goals conceded this season, with seven conceded from their first seven matches.
Expect Hurstville to put into a strong performance at home, where they will hope to grind down the Flame defence and will do very well to keep their firing attack at bay.
South Coast Flame, meanwhile, scored an 86th minute equaliser to earn a point at home to Inner West Hawks FC last week and will hope to go a sixth-straight match without a loss when they take on Hurstville.
The Flame have won both of their matches away from home so far this season, with 2-1 victories in both of those matches, and will hope to continue that run when they take on Hurstville.
Having scored a league-high 21 goals in seven matches so far this season, at an average on three per march, the Flame will hope to continue that trend when they travel up the coast.
With both Hurstville and South Coast in strong form, both sides will give a good account for themselves, where the winner will have to take their chances to succeed.
Granville Rage vs Central Coast United FC, 7pm at Rydalmere Park
Last season: Granville Rage 2-2 Central Coast United FC, Central Coast United FC 1-0 Granville Rage
Granville Rage will hope to win a fourth match from their past six when they host a Central Coast United FC side hoping to end their seven-match losing streak when they meet at Rydalmere Park.
Last season, the Pirates went undefeated against the Rage with a 2-2 away draw followed by a 1-0 away win, results which they will hope will inspire some confidence in the squad ahead of the match.
Granville returns from their Round Eight bye with the intent to continue to push up the league when they take on Central Coast United.
They are unbeaten at home from their first three matches and will hope to continue in that vein, although they will hope to rediscover their scoring form having only scored three goals from their past four matches.
Expect the Rage to come out strongly at home as they look to make Rydalmere Park a fortress in 2025.
Central Coast, meanwhile, lost a seventh-straight match after their 2-0 away defeat to Prospect United SC last week but will hope to end that streak against a side they went undefeated against in 2024 in the Rage.
They have failed to score a goal away from home this season in their three matches so far, while they have only scored five goals from their first eight matches; they will hope to rectify that with a big performance this week.
Expect the Pirates to turn around their fortunes sooner rather than later as they look to end their losing streak and put some pressure on the Rage.
With the Rage looking to find some consistency and the Pirates hoping their history in this matchup from last season will help them, both sides will be hoping to pick up a big three points in this match.
Bankstown United FC vs Dunbar Rovers FC, 7pm at Padstow Park
These two teams did not meet last season.
Bankstown United FC will hope to bounce back from their late loss last week when they host Dunbar Rovers FC, who are looking to respond to a loss in the dying minutes, themselves.
Having not met last season, both sides will be ready to approach this matchup with clear vision as they look to pick up a big three points.
Bankstown United lost their second match of the season last week after they fell 2-1 away to Fraser Park FC after conceding an 88th minute goal but will hope to bounce back at home, where they have won both of their matches this season.
The pattern for Bankstown this season has been positive results immediately following negative results, with their draw and first loss this season bringing back-to-back wins after it; they will hope to continue that pattern in terms of it bringing them another win this week.
With only one goal scored in three of their past four matches, they will hope to return to their strong attacking ways when they play at home again this week.
Dunbar, meanwhile, lost 3-2 at home to Camden last week after conceding a late goal but will hope to welcome back a few players from injury in this match after their squad was hit with injuries in recent weeks.
They are not afraid to be attacking and muster many shots on goal each week; Dunbar will hope to find their clinical edge when they take on Bankstown.
Expect another spirited performance from Dunbar as they look to avoid a third-straight loss this season.
With Bankstown and Dunbar both looking to bounce back from defeats, both teams will see this match as an opportunity to gain some confidence moving forward.
Inner West Hawks FC vs Fraser Park FC, 7pm at Arlington Oval
Last season: Inner West Hawks FC 4-1 Fraser Park FC, Fraser Park FC 0-4 Inner West Hawks FC
Inner West Hawks FC will hope to build some confidence and win their first match in three when they host a Fraser Park FC side hoping to build off a strong last start win.
Last season, the Hawks won both matches in the head-to-head, with a 4-1 home victory followed by a 4-0 away success; they will hope to continue that run, while Fraser Park will hope to return to the form which saw them win both head-to-head matches in 2023.
Inner West were minutes away from victory before they had to settle for a 1-1 away draw to South Coast Flame FC last week and will hope to continue to create chances to get back on the winner’s list.
The Hawks’ defence has been their strong point this season and they are among the league’s best, with only eight goals conceded from their seven matches played so far.
Expect the Hawks to make defence a priority once more, while if they can convert some of the chances they create this week.
The Hawks also suffered a dramatic loss to League One Men’s side Macarthur Rams in the Australia Cup early in the week; they had come from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at the end of regulation time, with goals to Peter Yannopoulos and Peter Phillips, but fell 3-2 on penalties and were knocked out in the third preliminary round.
Fraser Park FC, meanwhile, responded to back-to-back losses with a strong 2-1 home win over Bankstown United FC last week and will hope to use that victory as momentum going forward.
They were at their attacking best last week, pressing to create pressure and created many chances to score; they will hope to do the same this week against a tough Hawks side.
Expect Fraser Park to continue to press as they hunt down back-to-back wins for the second time this season.
With the head-to-head in Inner West’s favour and Fraser Park gaining confidence following a big last start win, both sides will be raring to get into this match which often produces plenty of action.
Camden Tigers FC vs Hawkesbury City FC, 7pm at Ron Dine Memorial Reserve – Carbiz Stadium
Last season: Hawkesbury City FC 0-4 Camden Tigers FC, Camden Tigers FC 2-3 Hawkesbury City FC
An intriguing match-up closes out Round Nine when Camden Tigers FC look to build off a big last-start win against the in-form Hawkesbury City FC.
Last season, both away sides picked up the respective wins with Camden running out 4-0 winners before Hawkesbury returned the favour with a 3-2 away win; the stat for this match-up is that the away side has one each of the last four encounters between these two teams.
Camden ended a six-match winless run after their late 3-2 away win over Dunbar Rovers FC last week and will hope to win back-to-back matches for the first time this season when they host the Hawks.
Their mentality to stay in the match, despite going behind, until the end helped them, with the winner coming in the 89th minute and they will hope to bring that same mentality to fight until the end when the Hawks come to visit.
Expect Camden to come into this match with more confidence as they look to build on their last start win.
Hawkesbury, meanwhile, won a fourth match from their past five and went five matches without defeat after their strong 5-0 home win over Gladesville Ryde Magic last week.
Harry Drew and Vincent Dermilio have led the line well for the Hawks so far this season with eight and seven goals each, respectively, and will hope to lead Hawkesbury to a win away from home.
Expect the Hawks to continue to attack well, while they hunt down a third-straight clean sheet, which is a rare feat for many clubs.
With Camden looking to build confidence from a big win and Hawkesbury looking to continue as one of the form teams of the competition, expect a match with plenty of chances as both teams chase down the three points.
Sydney University SFC have a bye in Round Nine.
By Football NSW League Two Men’s Reporter, Dylan Costa
