Round 15 Preview – League Two Men’s
Round 15 marks the halfway point of the 2025 Football NSW League Two Men’s season and every team will hope to finish the first half of the season positively, ready to re-evaluate ahead of the second half of the year.
The Match of the Round this week sees South Coast Flame FC look to bounce back from their first loss in five matches when they host Fraser Park FC.
Saturday, 17th May 2025
Match of the Round: South Coast Flame FC vs Fraser Park FC, 1:15pm at Sir Ian McLennan Oval
Last season: South Coast Flame FC 6-1 Fraser Park FC, Fraser Park FC 0-0 South Coast Flame FC
South Coast Flame FC will hope to bounce back from their biggest loss of the season when they host Fraser Park FC to round out the first half of the season.
Last year, the Flame picked up a big 6-1 home win over Fraser Park before the reverse fixture endless goalless; the Flame have won their past three home matches against Fraser Park and will hope to continue that, while the visitors will be hunting a big away win.
4th-placed South Coast Flame FC lost their first match in five after their 7-3 away defeat to Gladesville Ryde Magic last week but will hope to bounce back quickly to finish the first half of the season strongly ahead of what they will hope to be a push towards the top two.
Jyden Harb’s goal last week brought him to 15 for the season as he continued his form as the league’s top goal scorer for the season; he will hope to score for a sixth-straight match this weekend.
Expect a strong response from the Flame at home, where they have only lost once in seven matches this season, as they look to end the first half of the season on a positive note.
10th-placed Fraser Park, meanwhile, went a fourth-straight match without a win after their 4-2 home loss to Granville Rage last week but will also hope to end the first half of the season on a positive note with plenty still to play for.
Fraser Park have conceded the second-most goals of any team this season with 33 conceded in 13 matches and will hope to rectify that, although will need to overcome recent head-to-head history to do that.
Expect Fraser Park to put in a spirited performance as they look to potentially end the first half of the season in the top half of the ladder if results go their way.
With South Coast and Fraser Park both looking to respond from last-start defeats, both teams will be hoping to end the first half of the season on a positive note with this clash.
Parramatta FC vs Hawkesbury City FC, 5pm at Melita Stadium
Last season: Parramatta FC 3-1 Hawkesbury City FC, Hawkesbury City FC 1-2 Parramatta FC
Two teams who will hope to grab a big win to end the first half of the season sees Parramatta FC host Hawkesbury City FC in a battle of the birds.
Last season, Parramatta completed the league double over Hawkesbury; they will hope to grab a third-straight win against the Hawks, who will hope to reverse their fortunes against the hosts.
3rd-placed Parramatta FC came from behind to grab a 1-1 draw away to Dunbar Rovers FC last week and will hope to pick up all three points when the Hawks visit to put themselves in a good position ahead of the second half of the season.
The hosts have only won one of their past six league matches and have lost ground on the top two in the process, but still only sit four points behind 2nd-placed Prospect United SC; they will hope to bridge that gap to end the first half of the season.
Marco Sama scored a double in the Eagles’ home match against Hawkesbury last season and will hope to add to his 10 goals so far in 2025 as the Eagles’ top goal scorer against them in this match, while they will be without Tarek Elrich in defence after his red card last week.
6th-placed Hawkesbury City FC, meanwhile, came from behind to grab a 1-1 draw at home to Nepean FC last week and will also hope to find consistency ahead of the second half of the season.
Vincent Dermilio scored his 10th goal of the season against Nepean FC last week; he and Harry Drew, who is on 12 goals for the year, will hope to continue their prolific scoring form to give Hawkesbury a big boost in this match.
A win for Hawkesbury could see them overtake Parramatta on the ladder, while they will hope to avoid a loss to ensure they do not end the first half of the season outside the top half of the ladder.
With both Parramatta and Hawkesbury hoping to pick up a big win for their respective hopes of chasing the top two this season, a highly competitive match can be expected where neither team will want to give up the fight.
Nepean FC vs Dunbar Rovers FC, 7pm at Cook Park (St Marys)
Last season: Dunbar Rovers FC 0-4 Nepean FC, Nepean FC 1-1 Dunbar Rovers FC
A rematch between two sides who met in the League One Men’s competition last season sees Nepean FC and Dunbar Rovers FC clash with plenty at stake for both sides.
Last season, Nepean picked up a big away win before a crucial match in the penultimate round saw the two teams play out a 1-1 draw; with that recent history between these two sides in the division above to consider, both teams will be hoping to grab a big win against the other in 2025.
11th-placed Nepean FC gave up their lead in their 1-1 draw away to Hawkesbury City FC last week but will hope to end the first half of the season as high up potentially as the top half when they host Dunbar.
Nepean are unbeaten in their past four home matches, while they have only lost two of their nine home matches this season; they will hope to continue in that vein when Dunbar visit.
Matthew Crossley scored against Dunbar last season and will hope to add to his seven goals for the season in this match, while Nepean will hope to hear positive news regarding Edward Stewart after he left the field injured last week.
8th-placed Dunbar, meanwhile, moved to six matches unbeaten after their 1-1 home draw to Parramatta FC last week and will hope to extend that streak, the best currently in the league, when they travel to Cook Park.
This match will be crucial for Dunbar ahead of the second half of the season, as a win could take them to as high as 4th while a loss could see them drop to as low as 11th in a show of how tight the ladder is.
Expect Dunbar to start strongly, having scored the first goal in each of their past four matches, all in the first half, as they look to grab a big win to end the first half of the season.
With Nepean and Dunbar both hoping to grab a big three points, both sides will be looking to start this match strongly in their pursuit of a win.
Camden Tigers FC vs Gladesville Ryde Magic, 7pm at Ron Dine Memorial Reserve – Carbiz Stadium
Last season: Gladesville Ryde Magic 2-4 Camden Tigers FC, Camden Tigers FC 4-1 Gladesville Ryde Magic
Camden Tigers FC will hope to build off a big clean sheet from their last outing when they host a Gladesville Ryde Magic side coming off their biggest win in many years.
Last season, Camden did the league double over Gladesville, while the year before the Magic did the same to the Tigers; both sides will hope to grab a big win to end the first half of the season this time around.
13th-placed Camden Tigers FC grabbed their first clean sheet since Round Four in their 0-0 draw away to Central Coast United FC last week and will hope to build on that defensive performance.
Having had 17 shots last week, including 10 on target, the Tigers will hope to be more clinical in front of goal when they return home for the first time in four matches.
Bailey Simpson will hope to score against the Magic for a third-straight match to add to his six goals for the season to help Camden win their first home match since the opening round of the season.
9th-placed Gladesville Ryde Magic, meanwhile, continued their strong form following their bye with their biggest win in many years, a 7-3 home success over South Coast Flame FC, last week and will hope to build on that victory.
The Magic have only won one of their seven away matches this season but will hope to turn that away form around in this match against the Tigers, who they beat away from home in the 2024 season.
With a confidence-boosting win last week, the Magic will hope to grab a win which could see them rise into the top half of the ladder at the halfway point of the season.
With both Camden and Gladesville gaining confidence from defence and offence last week, respectively, both teams will hope to utilise that to come away with the win in this match.
Inner West Hawks FC vs Sydney University SFC, 7pm at Arlington Oval
Last season: Sydney University SFC 2-2 Inner West Hawks FC, Inner West Hawks FC 4-0 Sydney University SFC
Two teams who will be desperate to grab a win to end the first half of the season sees Inner West Hawks FC and Sydney University SFC clash.
Last season, the students scored two dramatic late goals to earn a draw at home before the Hawks proved to be too strong in the reverse fixture; the Hawks are six head-to-head matches unbeaten against the students, with three wins and three draws against University in recent times.
12th-placed Inner West Hawks FC had a lead and then came from behind to earn a 2-2 draw away to Bankstown United FC last week and will hope to earn a win which would keep them in touch with the rest of the sides ahead of them moving into the second half of the season.
Peter Yannopoulos scored a double against the students last season and leading the Hawks’ charge this season as their top goal scorer with seven goals will hope to continue his good form; the Hawks have not lost a match which he has scored in this season.
Expect Inner West to focus on their defence at home, having the equal-third best defensive record in the league, as they look to end the first half of the season on a positive note.
Last-placed Sydney Univeristy SFC, meanwhile, had their search for their first win of the season extend to Round 15 after their 3-1 away loss to Prospect United SC last week.
University welcomed back Joseph Roddy after a six-week absence last week, while they will hope to press high to put pressure on the Hawks in hopes of a successful outcome in this match.
Having scored in each of their past four matches, University will hope to shock the hosts early in their pursuit of a big win.
With both the Hawks and the students hoping to end the first half of the season on a high note, both sides will look to take the match to the other in the hunt for three points.
Granville Rage vs Hurstville Zagreb FC, 7pm at Garside Park
Last season: Granville Rage 2-1 Hurstville Zagreb FC, Hurstville Zagreb FC 1-2 Granville Rage
A big match sees Granville look to pick up a big win to end the first half of the season against the league leaders, Hurstville Zagreb FC, in a matchup which has plenty of talking points.
Granville went five head-to-head matches unbeaten, including four wins and one draw, against Hurstville after their league double over them last season and will hope to continue that streak, while the league leaders will hope to break it.
5th-placed Granville Rage held off Fraser Park FC for a big 4-2 away win last week and will hope to pick up their biggest win of the season when they host Hurstville.
Ante Tomic scored against Hurstville last season and coming off a double last week will hope to combine well with the likes of Asmir Kadric and Jad Moussa.
A win for the Rage could move them up to third, while a loss could see them drop to as low as 8th; a win for the Rage here would help them set their expectations for the rest of the season and give them a big confidence boost.
League-leading Hurstville Zagreb FC, meanwhile, will hope to return from their bye in good shape to maintain or extend their lead at the top of the ladder.
Having kept a clean sheet in two of their last three matches and boasting the equal-best defensive record in the league with only 11 goals conceded from 13 matches, Hurstville will hope to continue in that vein.
With Michael Neill having scored in six of his past seven matches and Hurstville having won their past three away matches in the league, they will hope to extend that streak as they look to remain on top of the ladder to end the first half of the season.
With Granville having a strong head-to-head against Hurstville and the visitors one of the teams to beat this season, both sides will be hopeful of grabbing a big win in this match.
Bankstown United FC vs Prospect United SC, 7pm at Padstow Park
Last season: Prospect United SC 1-1 Bankstown United FC, Bankstown United FC 2-1 Prospect United SC
Bankstown United FC will hope to grab a big win, while Prospect will hope to do the same, in a match which could have consequences come the end of the season.
Last season, Prospect and Bankstown played out a 1-1 draw before Bankstown won their first head-to-head match in four over Prospect in a 2-1 win in the reverse fixture.
7th-placed Bankstown United FC came from behind but then lost their lead in their 2-2 home draw to Inner West Hawks FC last week but will hope to grab a big win against Prospect, having won only one of their last six matches.
Marie Gauthier continued to be the leading man for Bankstown this season with his seventh goal of the year last week; he has scored in six of his past seven matches for Bankstown and will hope to lead them to a big win in this match.
A win for Bankstown could see them rise to as high as 4th, while a loss could see them drop to as low as 10th.
2nd-placed Prospect United SC, meanwhile, will hope to potentially rise to top spot on the ladder and will also hope to build on their big 3-1 home win over Sydney University SFC last week.
Despite missing Anthony Idehen for the past four matches, Prospect have still found ways to win matches and will hope to do the same again in this match as they look to end the first half of the season on a high.
Expect Prospect to want to start strongly as they chase their sixth clean sheet of the season in their pursuit of three-straight wins for the first time this season.
With both sides having ambitions of causing a stir in the top half of the league, both teams will hope to pick up the three points with a strong performance in this clash.
14th-placed Central Coast United FC have a bye in Round 15.
By Football NSW League Two Men’s Reporter, Dylan Costa
