Round 17 Preview – League Two Men’s
With the ladder as tight as ever, plenty of teams will be hopeful of grabbing big results in Round 17 of the 2025 Football NSW League Two Men’s season.
The Match of the Round this week focuses on a big mid-table clash for two sides hoping to chase the top half teams when Fraser Park FC hosts Dunbar Rovers FC.
Saturday, 31st May 2025
Match of the Round: Fraser Park FC vs Dunbar Rovers FC, 7pm at Valentine Sports Park
Previous meeting: Dunbar Rovers FC 2-1 Fraser Park FC
Coming off contrasting results, Fraser Park FC and Dunbar Rovers FC will both hope to take a big step into the top half of the ladder when they meet in this crucial clash.
In Round Two’s Match of the Round, Dunbar secured victory with a 90th minute winner; they will hope to complete the league double while Fraser Park will hope to get revenge to leapfrog them on the ladder.
10th-placed Fraser Park grabbed their first win in six matches following their 4-1 home success over Camden Tigers FC last week and will hope to build on that result when Dunbar visits.
That win for Fraser Park was their biggest of the season and the second time they have scored at least four goals in a match; they will hope to build confidence off that, especially in attack, as they look to win back-to-back matches for the first time since Round 10.
Expect Fraser Park to come out firing, given their 13 shots on target they had last week, as they look for a win which could see them rise to as high as 6th, while a loss could see them drop to 11th.
7th-placed Dunbar Rovers FC, meanwhile, had their seven-match unbeaten run end 2-0 at home to the league-leading Hurstville Zagreb FC last week and will hope to bounce back quickly against Fraser Park.
Dunbar will hope to return to form in Round 17, where the league’s equal-third best defensive side will hope to prove that in pursuit of their first clean sheet since Round 10.
A win for Dunbar could take them to as high as 5th, while a loss could see them drop to as low as 11th in a tight league ladder.
With both teams hoping to make a push for the top teams in the second half of the season, the result of this contest will be crucial for the weeks ahead.
Central Coast United FC vs Gladesville Ryde Magic, 3pm at Pluim Park
Previous meeting: Gladesville Ryde Magic 1-0 Central Coast United FC
Both Central Coast United FC and Gladesville Ryde Magic will hope to pick up a big win for their respective seasons when they clash.
In Round Two, Gladesville emerged as tight 1-0 winners over the Pirates; they will hope to complete the league double over Central Coast, just as they had it done against them the season before.
14th-placed Central Coast United FC earned back-to-back draws after their 1-1 stalemate away to Sydney University SFC last week and will hope to extend their five-point gap to the students at the bottom of the league when they host the Magic.
In this fixture in 2024, the Pirates scored seven goals in their win over the Magic; they will hope to conjure up some of that as they look to improve on their ten goals for the season, a league low.
A win for Central Coast could take them up into 13th place, while a loss could see them fall to being just two points ahead of last-placed Sydney University SFC.
9th-placed Gladesville Ryde Magic, meanwhile, lost their first match in five after their 2-1 home loss to Nepean FC last week but will hope to bounce back quickly in their pursuit of the top half.
They will be without Maverick Anderson after his red card last week but will be hopeful of creating plenty going forward after they managed 17 shots last week.
A win for Gladesville could see them rise to as high as 6th, while a loss could see them drop to as low as 11th.
With both sides desperate for the win, neither will want to give up the fight easily when they clash.
Sydney University SFC vs Hurstville Zagreb FC, 5pm at Sydney University Football Ground
Previous meeting: Hurstville Zagreb FC 3-0 Sydney University SFC
Sydney University SFC will hope to pull off the biggest upset of the season when they host Hurstville Zagreb FC in a last versus first battle.
In the reverse fixture, Hurstville recorded a 3-0 home win, their fourth in a row against Sydney University; they will hope to extend that run while the students will hope to end that streak in style.
Last-placed Sydney University SFC’s hunt for their first win of the season continued after they came from behind to grab a 1-1 draw at home to Central Coast United FC last week and would love to cause a big upset against the league leaders.
After not only putting up a fight but taking the match to the Pirates last week, University will hope to come out with just as positive an approach against Hurstville as they look to make a wave.
A win for University could see them move to within two points of 14th-placed Central Coast United FC and would give them a big confidence boost ahead of the rest of the season.
League-leading Hurstville Zagreb FC, meanwhile, won a third-straight match and continued their quest for the league title after they 2-0 away win over Dunbar Rovers FC last week.
Hesan Soufi’s two goals last week brought him to nine for the season, including four in his past two; he and the rest of the Hurstville squad will hope to continue to fire, especially in defence as Hurstville hunt a third clean sheet from their past four matches.
A win for Hurstville could see them extend their nine-point lead to 12 at the top of the league, while a loss could see it reduced to six points.
With last playing host to first, a big upset is up for grabs for University, while for Hurstville they will hope to complete the league double and extend their advantage at the top of the league.
Hawkesbury City FC vs Prospect United SC, 5pm at David Bertenshaw Field
Previous meeting: Prospect United SC 2-1 Hawkesbury City FC
A big clash in the top five sees Hawkesbury City FC look to take a big step towards the top two when they host a Prospect United SC side hoping to reclaim that spot, themselves.
Earlier in the season, Prospect recorded a 2-1 home win over Hawkesbury; in a match-up which proves to be quite unpredictable, the same can be expected this time around.
5th-placed Hawkesbury City FC picked up a big 1-0 away win in Round 16, while in their most recent match, a Round 15 catch-up game away to Parramatta FC, they surrendered the lead four times in a 4-4 draw, with a goal each to Stuart Gosling and Vincent Dermilio, as well as a double for Tobias Elliott-Orr.
Dermilio’s goal was his 11th for the season; he has scored in ten of the fifteen matches he has played in this season and will hope to continue that form, while on the defensive end Hawkesbury will hope to get back to their best against Prospect.
A win for Hawkesbury could take them to as high as 2nd, while a loss could see them drop to as low as 8th – they will hope to come out firing in this match.
Prospect United SC, meanwhile, had the bye last week and will hope to come into this match refreshed to take on the second half of the season, especially since they have the second-best defensive record in the competition with only 14 goals conceded from 14 matches.
Having beaten Hawkesbury away from home in the past three seasons, Prospect will hope to make that four years in a row with away success as they look to make a statement.
A win for Prospect could take them up into 2nd, while a loss could see them drop to as low as 5th.
With Hawkesbury and Prospect both hoping to gain a confidence-boosting result, both sides will fight hard in their pursuit of a big three points in this match.
Parramatta FC vs Granville Rage, 5pm at Melita Stadium
Previous meeting: Granville Rage 6-3 Parramatta FC
Tempers will reignite in this local derby when Parramatta FC and Granville Rage meet, with both teams hoping to grab a big win in a tight ladder.
Granville recorded one of their biggest wins of the season in the reverse fixture in a 6-3 win over Parramatta at home; they will hope to complete the league double for a second-straight year over the Eagles, who will hope to break that streak.
4th-placed Parramatta FC went a fifth-straight match unbeaten after their 4-4 home draw to Hawkesbury City FC midweek, coming from behind four times thanks to goals from Marco Sama, Ali Chamsin, Jordan Hassiem and an 89th minute equaliser from Ethan Oliver, respectively.
Marco Sama’s goal was his 13th for the season and his sixth from his past four matches; he will hope to continue his scoring form, while on the defensive end Parramatta will hope to grab their first clean sheet since Round Nine.
A win for Parramatta could take them up into 2nd, while a loss could see them drop down to 5th on the ladder.
8th-placed Granville Rage, meanwhile, lost a third match from their past four after their 5-0 home defeat to South Coast Flame FC last week and will hope to bounce back quickly.
In the head-to-head with Parramatta, Granville have won three in a row and will hope that holds some weight as they come into this match.
A win for Granville could take them to as high as 5th, while a loss could see them drop to as low as 11th.
Granville also have a big match in the seventh and final preliminary round of the Australia Cup midweek, where they travel to face NPL NSW club Sydney United 58 for a spot in the Round of 32 – they will hope to get the job done when the match kicks off at 7:30pm on Wednesday, 28th May at Sydney United Sports Centre.
With Parramatta flying high and Granville holding the head-to-head edge, both sides will hope to fire up for this western Sydney derby.
Camden Tigers FC vs Nepean FC, 7pm at Ron Dine Memorial Reserve – Carbiz Stadium
Previous meeting: Nepean FC 2-0 Camden Tigers FC
With both Camden Tigers FC and Nepean FC hoping to have positive second halves to the season, both teams will look to fight hard for the three points in this match.
In the reverse fixture, Nepean recorded a 2-0 home win; they will hope to grab their first away win over Camden in three attempts, while the Tigers will look to keep their home advantage strong against Nepean.
13th-placed Camden Tigers FC went a seventh-straight match without a win after their 4-1 away loss to Fraser Park FC last week but will hope to fire up against a Nepean side they have a strong home record against.
A positive for Camden has been their home advantage over Nepean, where they have not lost in their past few seasons against them.
A win for Camden would bring them a big confidence boost for the second half of the season, while a loss could see them drop one spot to 14th.
11th-placed Nepean FC, meanwhile, won their first match in five after they held off Gladesville Ryde Magic for a 2-1 away win last week and will hope to make that back-to-back away wins when they travel to face Camden.
They will be full of confidence following that last result and will hope to use it as a springboard in hopes of rising into the top half of the ladder.
A win for Nepean could see them rise to as high as 8th, while a loss could see them drop to 12th.
With Camden and Nepean having entertaining matches in the past, both sides will hope to grab a big win over the others to kickstart the second halves of their respective seasons.
Bankstown United FC vs South Coast Flame FC, 7pm at Padstow Park
Previous meeting: South Coast Flame FC 2-3 Bankstown United FC
Two sides in the hunt for a top two finish this season sees Bankstown United FC look to complete the league double over South Coast Flame FC at home.
Earlier in the season, Bankstown took the lead and then came from behind for a big 3-2 away win; they will hope to pick up both head-to-head wins to boost their season, while the Flame will hope to grab a positive result away from home, just as they did in the 2024 season.
6th-placed Bankstown United FC lost their first match in four after their 1-0 home defeat to Hawkesbury City FC last week but will hope to respond quickly against the Flame.
Bankstown have been held scoreless in their past two losses; they will hope to get back to their scoring best in this match as they look to move up the ladder.
A win for Bankstown could see them rise one spot into 5th on the ladder, while a loss could see them drop to as low as 10th.
2nd-placed South Coast Flame FC, meanwhile, fired up into 2nd last week after their 5-0 away win over Granville Rage and will hope to retain that spot when they travel to face Bankstown.
Jyden Harb scored for a seventh-straight match and moved to 17 goals as the competition’s leading goal scorer for the season, while Adam Timpano-Voloder followed up his hat-trick with a double in his last match; the Flame attack will hope to continue to fire up against Bankstown ass the league’s highest scoring side with 46 goals looks to add to that tally.
A win for the Flame could keep them in prime position in 2nd, while a loss could see them drop to as low as 5th.
With Bankstown and South Coast battling hard for the top places this season, both sides will hope to fight hard for the three points in this match.
12th-placed Inner West Hawks FC have a bye in Round 17.
By Football NSW League Two Men’s Reporter, Dylan Costa
