Round 10 Preview – League Two Men’s
The 2025 Football NSW League Two Men’s season reaches a third of its completion in Round 10, with more clashes near the top and derbies among the action.
The Match of the Round, however, sees Camden Tigers FC look to end a home losing streak when they host Inner West Hawks FC.
Saturday, 12th April 2025
Match of the Round: Camden Tigers FC vs Inner West Hawks FC, 7pm at Ron Dine Memorial Reserve – Carbiz Stadium
Last season: Camden Tigers FC 0-2 Inner West Hawks FC, Inner West Hawks FC 3-0 Camden Tigers FC
A young Camden Tigers FC side will hope to continue to improve when they host a notoriously tricky opponent for them in Inner West Hawks FC.
Last season, the Hawks did the perfect league double over the Tigers, winning 2-0 away before a 3-0 home success; they will hope to go a fourth-straight match unbeaten against the Tigers, who will hope to gain a big win, themselves.
Camden fought hard but fell 3-1 at home to Hawkesbury City FC last week, but will hope to build on the positives from that performance.
The Tigers gave solid minutes to seven 20-year-olds in their squad and that experience will aid them moving forward, from squad depth to competition for places.
Expect Camden to stick to their attacking game plan while they also will hope to cut out errors in hopes of grabbing a win this week.
Inner West, meanwhile, went a third-straight match without a win after their 3-1 home loss to Fraser Park FC last week but will hope to make the most of their chances to grab a result this week.
They will be without Peter Yannopoulos for the next two weeks, with many players in their squad eager to grab their chance to make a difference.
The Hawks’ resilient defence was sprung last week, so expect them to make that a priority as they push for a first win in four weeks.
With both Camden and Inner West coming off losses, both sides will be raring to grab the win this week.
Friday, 11th April 2025
Bankstown United FC vs Central Coast United FC, 8pm at Padstow Park
Last season: Central Coast United FC 4-1 Bankstown United FC, Bankstown United FC 2-0 Central Coast United FC
Both Bankstown United FC and Central Coast United FC will hope to return to winning ways when they meet to kick off Round 10.
Last season, the respective home sides picked up wins, with Central Coast victorious 4-1 at home before Bankstown responded with a 2-0 home win; both teams will fight hard in this unpredictable contest.
Bankstown went back-to-back matches without a win for the first time this season after their 2-2 draw at home to Dunbar Rovers FC last week and will hope to avoid extending that to three matches this week.
They have been hit hard by injuries lately, with Tyron Geany, Mitchell Evans, Mitchell Cross, Anthony Proia, Daniel Slane and Alejandro Salgueira all out injured for the foreseeable.
With a reshaped line-up for the next period, Bankstown will hope to get through with as many point as possible, starting with their match against Central Coast.
The Pirates, meanwhile, lost an eighth-straight match after their 4-0 away loss to Granville Rage last week and against an injury-hit Bankstown will hope to end that streak.
Ben Flakus scored a hat-trick against Bankstown last season; he and the rest of the squad will hope this match is an opportunity to rediscover their attacking best when they take to the field.
Having only scored five goals from their first nine matches, Central Coast will hope that turns sooner rather than later as they look for a confidence-boosting result against Bankstown.
With injuries ravaging Bankstown and Central Coast looking to grab a big win, both sides will have players with plenty to prove when they hit the field.
Hawkesbury City FC vs Hurstville Zagreb FC, 8pm at David Bertenshaw Field
Last season: Hurstville Zagreb FC 1-3 Hawkesbury City FC, Hawkesbury City FC 2-2 Hurstville Zagreb FC
Two of the in-form teams in the competition will hope to grab a big win when Hawkesbury City FC host the ladder-leading Hurstville Zagreb FC.
Last season, the Hawks went unbeaten against Hurstville with a 3-1 away win and 2-2 home draw; they will hope to extend that streak to four matches unbeaten head-to-head, while Hurstville will hope to break that streak.
Hawkesbury went six matches without defeat and won a fifth match from their past six after their 3-1 away win over Camden Tigers FC last week and will hope to continue to fire.
Harry Drew and Vincent Dermilio scored two goals each against Hurstville last season and with both players on nine and eight goals for the season, respectively, will hope to add to their goal tallies.
A result against Hurstville would put a marker on both sides this season, with two strong competitors hoping to grab the three points.
Hurstville, meanwhile, remained top of the table after their 4-0 home win over South Coast Flame FC last week and will hope to win a fifth-straight match and go six matches unbeaten this week.
With Michael Neill scoring his fifth goal of the season last week and Nikola Todoroski hoping to build off a hat-trick, along with a host of other attacking talent in the squad, Hurstville will hope to overpower the Hawks.
A win for Hurstville against another in-form team in Hawkesbury would also give them plenty of confidence moving forward, especially if they can build off their third clean sheet of the season.
With Hawkesbury and Hurstville two of the in-form teams in the competition, both sides will hope to play out a high-quality contest as they look for an important three points.
Prospect United SC vs Granville Rage, 8pm at Blacktown Exercise Sports and Technology Hub
Last season: Prospect United SC 3-1 Granville Rage, Granville Rage 1-1 Prospect United SC
A western Sydney derby will reignite when Prospect United SC and Granville Rage meet in Round 10.
Last season, Prospect picked up a 3-1 home win before the Rage fought back with a 1-1 home draw; with a win for each and a draw from their past three encounters, this clash remains unpredictable and should provide the same in 2025.
Prospect came from behind to grab a point away to Nepean FC in last week’s Match of the Round and will hope to continue their strong first third of the season.
Back at home, Prospect will hope to play with more of a passing game on the synthetic pitch, utilising their midfield well to create chances.
Expect Prospect to be tough to stop, having scored in every match they have played in so far this season, as they look to fire up for the derby.
Granville, meanwhile, won a third match from their past four after their 4-0 home win over Central Coast United FC last week and will hope to continue in their good form.
The Rage have kept clean sheets in back-to-back matches and Timothy Borg-Williams will hope to continue to lead the Rage attack and add to his seven goals so far this season.
Granville will hope to fire up in this derby as they chase down their first win in three attempts against Prospect.
An unpredictable western Sydney derby with two teams grabbing plenty of big wins lately should produce a high-quality match with plenty of chances.
Saturday, 12th April 2025
Parramatta FC vs South Coast Flame FC, 5pm at Melita Stadium
Last season: South Coast Flame FC 3-1 Parramatta FC, Parramatta FC 2-2 South Coast Flame FC
Parramatta FC will hope to continue to be one of the teams to beat in 2025 when they host a strong South Coast Flame FC side looking to return to form.
Last season, the Flame picked up a 3-1 home win before they came from behind to grab a 2-2 draw in the reverse fixture; with the Flame unbeaten against the Eagles from their past three head-to-head matches, they will hope to continue that run while Parramatta will hope to break it.
Parramatta won a fifth-straight match and their sixth from seven this season after their 4-0 away win over Gladesville Ryde Magic last week and will look to continue their winning run against the Flame.
Marco Sama is leading the Parramatta goalscorers with six goals so far this season, while the Parramatta attack will hope to fire once again, having scored in every match so far this season.
Expect another resilient display from the Eagles, especially as they look for their fourth clean sheet of the season, as they look to continue to challenge near the top.
Parramatta also progressed to the next round of the Australia Cup after a 4-2 away win over League One Men’s side Hakoah Sydney City East FC, with a goal each to Navid Alizada, Noorullah Afzaly, Travis Oughtred and Christopher Arditti giving the Eagles an extra-time win.
South Coast, meanwhile, lost their first match since Round Two after their 4-0 away loss to Hurstville Zagreb FC last week and will hope to bounce back immediately.
That was the first time this season the Flame had failed to score a goal in a match and they will hope to rectify that against Parramatta.
With the Flame hoping to go a fourth-straight head-to-head match unbeaten against the Eagles, they will hope their recent history against Parramatta will aid them to grab their first win in three weeks.
The Flame also went out of the Australia Cup in the fourth preliminary round earlier in the week after they suffered a 3-1 away loss to League One Men’s side Macarthur Rams FC despite a goal to Chisholm Brown.
Both Parramatta and South Coast will be well-matched in this contest, with firepower apparent for both sides.
Dunbar Rovers FC vs Sydney University SFC, 7pm at Rockdale Ilinden Sports Centre
These two teams did not meet last season.
With both Dunbar Rovers FC and Sydney University SFC both desperate to grab a win, both sides will hope chances fall in their favour when they meet.
Having not met last season, this clash will provide a fresh contest for both sides, which could help both as they look to snap respective winless runs.
Dunbar ended a run of back-to-back losses after they came from behind to grab a 2-2 draw away to Bankstown United FC last week and will hope to build off that performance to get back onto the winner’s list.
Dunbar had their chances to take all three points last week but with Paul Gautier having scored in back-to-back matches, will hope to continue their attacking improvement to win.
Expect Dunbar to continue to show improvement as they look to pick up a strong home win.
Sydney University, meanwhile, return from their bye with hopes of snapping a seven-match winless run as they hunt their first win of the league season.
The students showed plenty of fight in their last match and will hope to bring that same mentality into this match away from home.
Expect the students to put their best foot forward as they look to grab their first win of the season against a new opponent.
Sydney University are also in Australia Cup action mid-week when they travel to face Illawarra Premier League side, Wollongong Olympic FC.
With Dunbar and Sydney University both desperate for a win, the two teams should create plenty of chances in this match.
Fraser Park FC vs Gladesville Ryde Magic, 7:30pm at Valentine Sports Park
Last season: Fraser Park FC 5-1 Gladesville Ryde Magic, Gladesville Ryde Magic 1-4 Fraser Park FC
With Fraser Park FC coming off back-to-back wins and Gladesville Ryde Magic coming off back-to-back losses, both sides will fight hard for the win to close out Round 10.
Last season, Fraser Park did the league double over Gladesville with a 5-1 and 4-1 home and away win, respectively; they will hope to go a third-straight head-to-head match unbeaten against the Magic, while Gladesville will hope to end that streak.
Fraser Park won back-to-back matches for the second time this season after their 3-1 away win over Inner West Hawks FC last week and will hope to grab a third-straight win against Gladesville.
Francis Mcalpine’s first-ever hat-trick last week brought him to six goals for the season and having scored in both matches against the Magic last season, will hope to build off that performance.
Expect another strong performance from Fraser Park as they look to continue to build into their season against the Magic.
Gladesville, meanwhile, lost a fourth match from their past five after their 4-0 home loss to Parramatta FC last week but will be hunting for improvement this week.
The Magic failed to score in back-to-back matches for the second time this season last week but will hope to return to their attacking best in this match.
Expect a spirited performance from Gladesville this week as they look to get back to winning ways.
With Fraser Park building into good form and Gladesville hoping to avoid a third-straight loss, both sides will fight hard for the three points in this contest.
Nepean FC have a bye in Round 10 but host NPL side APIA Leichhardt FC in the Australia Cup mid-week.
By Football NSW League Two Men’s Reporter, Dylan Costa
