Round 18 Preview – League Two Men’s
With a runaway leader hoping to power on up ahead and a whole host of teams looking to push for second this season, Round 18 of the 2025 Football NSW League Two Men’s season will see the drama continue in what is a close league ladder.
The Match of the Round this week will focus on two teams with different hopes when Fraser Park FC hosts Central Coast United FC.
Friday, 6th June 2025
Match of the Round: Fraser Park FC vs Central Coast United FC, 8pm at Valentine Sports Park
Previous meeting: Central Coast United FC 1-3 Fraser Park FC
A big match for two teams with contrasting ambitions sees Fraser Park FC looking to keep up with the mid-pack of chasing teams when they host a Central Coast United FC side hoping to continue their climb away from the bottom of the ladder.
In the reverse fixture, Fraser Park picked up a big 3-1 away win; they will hope to complete the league double, while the Pirates will be out to win their first away match of the season.
11th-placed Fraser Park were unable to grab back-to-back wins after their tight 1-0 loss at home to Dunbar Rovers FC last week but will be hopeful of bouncing back against the Pirates.
They will be without Gregory Ehiozee after his red card last week, but given the marked improvements in their defensive performances in recent weeks will hope to build from the back.
A win for Fraser Park could see them get back in touch with the mid-table and move them to as high as 7th, while a loss would see them stay in 11th.
13th-placed Central Coast United FC, meanwhile, picked up a third-straight draw after their 0-0 result at home to Gladesville Ryde Magic last week and will hope to turn their positive upturn in results into a win.
The Pirates will hope to turn their dangerous moments into goals after their efforts last week but will be pleased on the defensive end following two clean sheets gained from their past three matches.
A win for Central Coast could see them move further away from last place, while they will hope to stay above 14th-placed Camden Tigers FC at the very least.
With Fraser Park hoping to stay in the hunt to make a push up the ladder and Central Coast hoping to build on positive recent results to stay away from last, both teams will hope to pick up a big win in this match.
Hurstville Zagreb FC vs Gladesville Ryde Magic, 8pm at Penshurst Park
Previous meeting: Gladesville Ryde Magic 3-1 Hurstville Zagreb FC
An intriguing matchup awaits when Hurstville Zagreb FC look to extend their lead at the top of the league when they host a side which gave them trouble earlier in the season in Gladesville Ryde Magic.
In the reverse fixture, Gladesville became the first of only two sides to beat Hurstville in the league this season with a 3-1 home win; they will hope to complete the league double, while Hurstville will be out to get revenge.
League-leading Hurstville Zagreb FC maintained their nine-point advantage at the top of the league after their 1-0 win over Sydney University SFC last week and will hope to grab a fifth-straight win this week.
Hurstville have kept clean sheets in three of their past four matches, while they will hope to emulate their home performance over the Magic from last season, a 9-0 win, as they look to extend their lead at the top.
A win could see Hurstville go 12 points clear as the league leaders, while a loss could reduce that to six points.
10th-placed Gladesville Ryde Magic, meanwhile, will hope to get back in touch with the chasing pack after their 0-0 draw away to Central Coast United FC last week.
The Magic will hope to rely on their counterattacking ability to break down Hurstville, with long balls over the top and a want to capitalise on any Hurstville mistakes, just as they did in Round Three.
A win for the Magic could see them rise to as high as 7th, while a loss could see them drop down to 11th.
With Hurstville hoping to exact revenge against the Magic to build on their lead at the top of the league and Gladesville hoping to move up in their pursuit of the middle of the pack, both teams will have fair reason to believe they will come out on top in this match.
Bankstown United FC vs Camden Tigers FC, 8pm at Padstow Park
Previous meeting: Camden Tigers FC 1-5 Bankstown United FC
With both Bankstown United FC and Camden Tigers FC coming into this match off last-start losses, both will hope to grab big respective wins for their season when they meet.
In Round Three, Bankstown scored their biggest win of the season with a 5-1 success over the Tigers; they will hope to complete the league double for a second-straight season, while Camden will hope to avoid that stat.
8th-placed Bankstown United FC lost back-to-back matches for the first time this season after their 3-0 home defeat to South Coast Flame FC last week but will hope to avoid a third-straight home defeat when Camden visits.
Having been kept scoreless in back-to-back matches, Bankstown will hope to return to their attacking best despite the injuries and suspensions in their squad; Josh Gersbach will miss this match after his red card last week.
A win for Bankstown would put them back in the hunt and move them up to as high as 6th, while a loss could see them drop to as low as 11th.
14th-placed Camden Tigers FC, meanwhile, went eight matches without a win after their 3-2 away loss to Nepean FC last week but will hope to end that streak against Bankstown.
They will hope to start this match strongly to get themselves on the front foot and buck the trend of conceding first in matches; they have conceded a goal in the opening ten minutes of each of their past three matches.
A win for Camden could see them rise back up into 13th and away from last, while a loss would see them remain 14th.
With Bankstown hoping to grab a big win to get their season back on track and Camden hoping to end a winless streak, both teams will be hopeful of grabbing the three points.
Saturday, 7th June 2025
Granville Rage vs Hawkesbury City FC, 5pm at Garside Park
Previous meeting: Hawkesbury City FC 1-7 Granville Rage
Two teams in contrasting form but locked in for the same battle this season are Granville Rage and Hawkesbury City FC, with both sides looking to grab a big win.
In the reverse fixture, Granville recorded their biggest win of the season with a 7-1 away success over the Hawks; they will hope to complete the league double for a second-straight year and grab a fifth-straight head-to-head win over the Hawks, who will be out to break that trend.
7th-placed Granville Rage responded from a tough 5-0 loss to South Coast Flame FC with a 0-0 away draw to Parramatta FC in the western Sydney derby and will be hopeful of building on that performance against the Hawks.
The Rage will be without Jad Moussa in attack after his red card last week but will be hopeful of getting back to scoring ways, having been kept scoreless in back-to-back matches, while in defence they will hope to build off their first clean sheet since Round Nine.
A win for Granville would move them up one spot into 6th, while a loss could see them fall to as low as 11th.
5th-placed Hawkesbury City FC, meanwhile, went a fourth-straight match without defeat after their 5-2 home win over Prospect United SC last week and will hope to continue their rise up the ladder.
Vincent Dermilio’s double brought him to 13 goals for the season ahead of teammate Harry Drew, but as a team they have scored nine goals from their past two matches through five different scorers; they will hope their strength across their squad will lead them well against Granville.
A win for the Hawks could see them rise to as high as 2nd, while a loss would see them remain in 5th.
With both sides hoping to make a push up the ladder, goals can be expected in this match with big consequences.
Sydney University SFC vs Parramatta FC, 5pm at Sydney University Football Ground
Previous meeting: Parramatta FC 3-0 Sydney University SFC
Sydney University SFC will hope to win their first match of the season and grab an upset at the same time when they host a Parramatta FC side looking to keep up with the top two.
In the reverse fixture, Parramatta grabbed a 3-0 win for their fifth-straight head-to-head win over the students; they will hope to continue that trend while University will hope to break it.
Last-placed Sydney University SFC suffered a tight 1-0 home loss to the league-leading Hurstville Zagreb FC last week and will take plenty of confidence from their performance in that match.
Expect University to start quickly to catch out Parramatta, targeting them with balls over the top to grab the first goal; if they can manage to do that, they will give themselves a real chance of grabbing the three points in this match.
A win for University could see them close the gap to the teams above them to just three points, while a loss would see them remain at least six points behind the rest.
3rd-placed Parramatta FC, meanwhile, drew 0-0 at home to Granville Rage in the western Sydney derby last week and will know they need to start turning those draws into wins to progress up the ladder, having drawn three of their past four matches.
Unbeaten in six matches, Parramatta will hope to build on that, while defensively it was their first clean sheet since Round Nine, another area they will hope to build on.
A win for Parramatta could see them rise into 2nd on the ladder, while a loss could see them drop to as low as 4th.
With University proving tough to play against in recent weeks without the results to show for it and Parramatta hoping to turn draws into wins to chase the top two, both sides will be hopeful of grabbing the win.
South Coast Flame FC vs Prospect United SC, 5pm at Sir Ian McLennan Oval
Previous meeting: Prospect United SC 1-2 South Coast Flame FC
A big clash near the top sees South Coast Flame FC look to continue their strong winning form when they host a Prospect United SC side hoping to get back to winning ways.
In the reverse fixture, Round Three’s Match of the Round, the Flame fended off Prospect United SC late for a 2-1 away win; they will hope to go a sixth-straight head-to-head match unbeaten against Prospect, while Prospect will hope to end that streak.
2nd-placed South Coast Flame FC will hope to end a third-straight week in that spot and after their 3-0 away win over Bankstown United FC last week will be confident to do so.
The Flame have scored 14 goals combined from their last three matches, while they have kept three-straight clean sheets, a feat they last achieved in Round Nine to Eleven in the 2023 League Two Men’s season; they will hope to continue to fire on all fronts against Prospect.
A win for the Flame would keep them in 2nd, while a loss could see them drop to as low as 5th.
4th-placed Prospect United SC, meanwhile, lost back-to-back matches for the first time this season after their 5-2 away loss to Hawkesbury City FC last week and will hope to turn that form around quickly to get back on track for the top two.
Having been unbeaten away from home until the past two outings, Prospect will hope to get back to that good away form, while they will also hope to continue the streak of scoring in every match they have played in this season.
A win for Prospect could see them rise into 2nd, while a loss could see them drop to as low as 6th.
With vital points up for grabs at the pointy end of the ladder, both the Flame and Prospect will hope to pick up a big win in this match.
Inner West Hawks FC vs Nepean FC, 7pm at Arlington Oval
Previous meeting: Nepean FC 1-1 Inner West Hawks FC
The battle for crucial points in the mid-table sees Inner West Hawks FC look to come back strong from their bye when they host a resurgent Nepean FC side.
In the reverse fixture, a late Nepean penalty earned them a 1-1 draw against the Hawks; both sides will hope to fight hard for the three points this time around, too.
12th-placed Inner West Hawks will hope to return from the bye refreshed and ready to take on the rest of the season; they will hope to start that against Nepean.
The Hawks will be hunting a home win over Nepean, just as they did in the 2023 season, 2-1, while they will also hope to find some consistency.
A win for the Hawks would see them stay in 12th but gain some confidence, while a loss would also see them remain in 12th.
9th-placed Nepean FC, meanwhile, recorded back-to-back wins for the third time this season after their 3-2 away win over Camden Tigers FC and will hope to continue to build on that.
After having not won an away match this season, Nepean have won two in a row and will hope to make that a third against the Hawks as they look to make a push up the ladder.
A win for Nepean could see them rise to as high as 6th, while a loss could see them drop to as low as 11th.
With the mid-table packed, both sides will hope to secure a big win which would help them make some progress to move forward with.
6th-placed Dunbar Rovers FC have a bye in Round 18.
By Football NSW League Two Men’s Reporter, Dylan Costa
