Round 11 Preview – League Two Men’s
With a third of the season down, the race to the top is as tight as ever with plenty of sides hoping to take another step forward in Round 11 of the 2025 Football NSW League Two Men’s season.
The Match of the Round this week sees Granville Rage make a return to their spiritual home of Garside Park for the first time since 2019 when they host Sydney University SFC.
Saturday, 19th April 2025
Match of the Round: Granville Rage vs Sydney University SFC, 7pm at Garside Park
Last season: Granville Rage 0-2 Sydney University SFC, Sydney University SFC 1-2 Granville Rage
Granville Rage will hope to have a happy homecoming when they return to Garside Park for the first time in six years as they host Sydney University SFC.
Last season, both teams picked up a win each in the head-to-head with University victorious away first before Granville returned the favour in the reverse fixture; this fixture always throws up unpredictable results and promises to do the same this time around, too.
5th-placed Granville Rage fell 4-0 away to Prospect United SC in a western Sydney derby last week but will hope to have a return to good form when they return to Granville for the first time since 2019.
The major talking point for the Rage will be their return home, which should bring them plenty of possession and good chances along with the refreshed feeling of playing on their home turf.
The Rage’s top scorer in 2025, Timothy Borg-Williams, will hope to add to his seven goals from his nine matches as the Rage look to welcome back Garside Park with a win at home.
Granville Rage are also in Australia Cup action mid-week in Round 4 of the preliminary rounds, where they will hope to progress when they face Eastern Suburbs Football Association side Phoenix FC at Ray Marshall Reserve, on Tuesday, 15th April.
15th-placed Sydney University, meanwhile, picked up just their second point of the season in a positive 0-0 draw away to Dunbar Rovers FC and will be hoping to spoil the Rage homecoming.
University earned eight corners last week and will hope to work hard to create many this week, this time with a finishing touch to grind out a result away from home.
Buoyed from their first clean sheet of the season, University will hope to make the most of the chances they can create as they look to cause a great upset away.
Before that match, however, University travel away to face Nepean FC in a Round Eight catch-up match on Tuesday, 15th April, at Cook Park.
A new era for Granville Rage will be unveiled on Saturday and they will be hoping to start that with a win, while Sydney University will do all they can to grab their first win of the season in this big clash.
Thursday, 17th April 2025
Hawkesbury City FC vs Fraser Park FC, 8pm at David Bertenshaw Field
Last season: Fraser Park FC 2-3 Hawkesbury City FC, Hawkesbury City FC 1-1 Fraser Park FC
A clash which always provides a close contest sees Hawkesbury City FC host Fraser Park FC in a rare Thursday night match.
Last season, Hawkesbury picked up a 3-2 away win before they held Fraser Park 1-1 at home; they will hope to extend their unbeaten head-to-head run against Fraser Park to four matches when they meet, while the away side will hope to break that streak.
4th-placed Hawkesbury lost their first match in seven weeks after they fell 3-0 at home to Hurstville Zagreb FC last week but will hope to respond quickly at home.
The Hawks created their fair share of chances last week with 13 shots in total and will hope to find their clinical edge once again, with the likes of the league’s leading goal scorer this season in Harry Drew looking to add to his nine goals from ten matches.
Expect a strong response from Hawkesbury at home once again as they look to continue to stake their claim near the top of the ladder.
8th-placed Fraser Park, meanwhile, won a third-straight match after their 2-1 home win over Gladesville Ryde Magic last week and will hope to extend that to four as they look to continue their rise up the ladder.
Francis Mcalpine has led the line well for Fraser Park so far this season having scored seven goals from his seven matches and will hope to score for a third week in a row when he takes to the field this week.
Expect Fraser Park to defend well once again as they look to chase down a fourth-straight win for the first time since Round 11 2023.
With all the previous four matches between these two teams ending in a draw or being decided by a one-goal margin, this match could provide a bit of spark as the two teams chase the three points.
Saturday, 19th April 2025
South Coast Flame FC vs Camden Tigers FC, 1pm at Sir Ian McLennan Oval
Last season: South Coast Flame FC 2-0 Camden Tigers FC, Camden Tigers FC 2-1 South Coast Flame FC
An early Saturday kick-off sees South Coast Flame FC look to return to the winner’s list when they host a Camden Tigers FC side hoping to do the same.
Last season, both home teams picked up the respective wins in the head-to-head and the same was also true in the 2023 season; home advantage has had its say in the past four encounters and could play its part again in 2025.
6th-placed South Coast Flame FC went a third match without a win after their comeback 1-1 draw away to Parramatta FC last week but will be buoyed from their comeback in that match as they look to take down the Tigers.
Jyden Harb is equal-second on the top goal scorers list for 2025 with eight goals from his nine matches so far and will hope to score in back-to-back weeks when he takes to the field.
Having scored more goals per game on average than any other club this season so far, the Flame will hope to return to their attacking best at home for the first time in three weeks.
12th-placed Camden Tigers, meanwhile, showed plenty of fight in their 1-1 draw at home to Inner West Hawks FC in last week’s Match of the Round and will hope to stick to their gameplan to bring a positive result away from home.
Bailey Simpson has five goals so far this season for the Tigers and having scored last week, as well as last season against the Flame, will look to be a focal point for the Tigers in attack once again.
Expect Camden to have a plan to deal with the strong Flame attack and a plan to break down the Flame in defence as they look to go unbeaten away from home for a fourth-straight match.
With the Flame and the Tigers both coming off a draw, both teams will be hoping to convert their chances in what will be hot conditions in Kembla Grange.
Hurstville Zagreb FC vs Bankstown United FC, 5pm at Penshurst Park
Last season: Bankstown United FC 3-0 Hurstville Zagreb FC, Hurstville Zagreb FC 4-2 Bankstown United FC
The league’s most in-form team will hope to continue in that vein when Hurstville Zagreb FC host Bankstown United FC, who are hoping to get back to winning ways.
Last season, Bankstown won 3-0 at home before Hurstville won their first match in four head-to-head clashes with Bankstown following a 4-2 home win; with both sides looking to make a statement in this match, goals are guaranteed.
League-leading Hurstville won a fifth-straight match, went six matches unbeaten and kept a second-straight clean sheet after their 3-0 away win over Hawkesbury City FC and will hope to continue to set the benchmark when they host Bankstown.
Hesan Soufi, Michael Neill and Nikola Todoroski have led the Hurstville attack well, sharing the goals with five, five and four, respectively; they will hope to continue to attack opposition defences as they look to add to the team’s 21 goals scored in 2025.
At the back, Hurstville have the equal-best defensive record in the league with only seven goals conceded from their nine matches; expect Hurstville to work hard to continue firing all around as they chase down a sixth-straight win.
Before that match, however, Hurstville travel to face Parramatta FC in a Round Eight catch-up match on Wednesday, 16th April, at Melita Stadium.
7th-placed Bankstown, meanwhile, went three matches without a win after their 1-1 draw at home to Central Coast United FC last week but will hope to welcome back a few players sooner rather than later to end that streak.
After a positive start to the season away from home, Bankstown have lost back-to-back away matches; they will hope to end that streak against Hurstville, who they have lost to the past two times they have faced them away.
Expect Bankstown to play cautiously as they look to welcome back a few players from injury over the next few weeks as they look to get a positive result against Hurstville.
Bankstown are also in Australia Cup action mid-week in Round 4 of the preliminary rounds, where they will hope to overcome Souther Districts Soccer Football Association club Fairfield Pats FC away at Marconi Stadium.
With Hurstville firing at the top of the league and Bankstown hoping to pull off a big win away from home, both sides will have plenty of fight in them in this match in the hunt for a big three points.
Parramatta FC vs Prospect United SC, 5pm at Melita Stadium
Last season: Prospect United SC 0-3 Parramatta FC, Parramatta FC 5-1 Prospect United SC
A big 3rd vs 2nd clash sees Parramatta FC host Prospect United SC in a western Sydney derby which could have big consequences.
Last season, Parramatta completed the league double over Prospect with respective 3-0 and 5-1 away and home wins; with Prospect doing the same to Parramatta the year before, it shows how unpredictable this clash can be ahead of the 2025 editions.
3rd-placed Parramatta FC had their five-match winning streak broken but instead turned that into a six-match unbeaten run after their 1-1 home draw to South Coast Flame FC last week and will hope to grab a big win against a local rival this week.
Marco Sama has led the line for Parramatta this season with six goals in eight matches so far; he and the rest of the Parramatta attack will hope to add to their 19 goals so far this season against Prospect.
Jordan Parfait scored a hat-trick against Prospect last season and having returned after missing four rounds with a goal against South Coast Flame FC last week will be another piece of the Parramatta puzzle which will hope to click again this week.
Before that match, however, Parramatta host Hurstville Zagreb FC in a Round Eight catch-up match at Melita Stadium on Wednesday, 16th April.
2nd-placed Prospect United will hope to win a fourth match from their past five when they hit the field against Parramatta after their 4-0 home win over Granville Rage in another western Sydney derby last week.
Prospect hold the equal-best defensive record in the league with only seven goals conceded from their nine matches so far and will hope to grab their fifth clean sheet of the season when they travel to face the Eagles.
Anthony Idehen and Praneet Singh will be the main focal points in attack for Prospect, with the former looking to score for a fifth-straight week and the latter hunting his sixth goal of the season; both will hope to fire up to lead Prospect over the tight Parramatta defence.
Prospect are also in Australia Cup action mid-week in Round 4 of the preliminary rounds, where they will hope to take down St George Football Association side Hurstville Glory FC away at Peakhurst Park on Wednesday, 16th April.
With both Parramatta and Prospect in strong form, this promises to be the closest western Sydney derby in years as both sides look to make a big statement against their local rival.
Nepean FC vs Central Coast United FC, 7pm at Cook Park (St Marys)
These two teams did not meet last season.
Both Nepean FC and Central Coast United FC will hope to end winless runs when the two teams meet at Cook Park.
Having not met last season, both teams will be raring for a fresh challenge in 2025 against a new opponent.
13th-placed Nepean FC return from their bye from Round 10, ready to find their first win since Round Two.
Having ended a four-match losing streak in their 1-1 home draw to Prospect United FC before their bye, Nepean will hope the week off will help them, especially as they look to welcome back a few players.
Expect Nepean to fire up as they look to win their third home match of the season.
Before that match, however, Nepean also play a Round Eight catch-up match at home to Sydney University SFC on Tuesday, 15th April, at Cook Park.
14th-placed Central Coast, meanwhile, ended their eight-match losing streak after their 1-1 draw away to Bankstown United FC last week and will hope to gain confidence from that result in their search of their second win of the season.
Having held possession well away from home and creating their fair share of chances, the Pirates will hope to replicate their performance from last week to grind out a big result away from home.
Expect Central Coast to look to break down Nepean with their passing game, while their attackers look to fire up, with Central Coast having scored the least number of goals of any team this season with six from their first ten matches.
With Nepean and Central Coast both ending respective losing streaks with a last start draw, both sides will hope to turn those results into a win when they clash.
Inner West Hawks FC vs Dunbar Rovers FC, 7pm at Arlington Oval
These two teams did not meet last season.
The final match of Round 11 sees Inner West Hawks FC looking to return to the winner’s list when they host a Dunbar Rovers FC side hoping to do the same.
With no recent history to go off, both the Hawks and the Rovers will hope to have a fresh approach to this match.
11th-placed Inner West came from behind to grab a 1-1 draw away to Camden Tigers FC in last week’s Match of the Round and will hope to use that fight to earn three points at home this week.
Having created 22 chances against Camden last week, Inner West will hope to find their clinical edge against Dunbar as they look to make their hard work pay off on the field.
Expect Inner West to play an attacking game at home against Dunbar, who they will hope to break down at the back and convert well, as they look for their first win in five matches.
9th-placed Dunbar, meanwhile, went four matches without a win, also, after their 0-0 home draw to Sydney University SFC last week and will hope to conjure up some inspiration to grab the three points in this match.
Having only scored eight goals from their opening nine matches, Dunbar will hope to find their quality in the final third to grab some goals against the Hawks.
Expect a spirited effort from Dunbar as they look to grab their second away win of the season.
With Inner West and Dunbar looking to end winless streaks, both sides will be raring to hit the field and fight for the three points in this match.
10th-placed Gladesville Ryde Magic have a bye in Round 11 but will hope to progress in the Australia Cup when they travel to face South Districts Football Association Club Western Condors in FC Round 4 of the preliminary rounds.
By Football NSW League Two Men’s Reporter, Dylan Costa
