Round 21 Preview – League One Men’s
It’s a big weekend in the FNSW League One Men’s competition with many of the top seven sides facing off against each other in round 21 action.
Headlined by two sides needing to recapture their winning form in UNSW and SD Raiders, it certainly is a Super Saturday of action.
Match of the Round: UNSW FC v SD Raiders; Saturday 28 June, 5:15pm, The Village Green
A big game in the context of these two sides seasons, UNSW FC host our match of the round as they take on SD Raiders this weekend.
Having both gone off the boil in recent times, both sides will be desperate to keep themselves in the top two fight with a win here.
It was only a few weekends ago when we last saw UNSW FC in a match of the round. That day going down to Newcastle Jets at this same venue. Since then, they have drawn with Mounties Wanderers and lost a local derby against Hakoah FC last weekend.
A high-scoring contest at Hensley, they made some uncharacteristic mistakes in the defeat particularly playing out from defence. As such, the return of Claudes Fabiano can’t come soon enough while Kevin Lopes gave the coaching staff something to think about with a brace.
The drop off of SD Raiders has perhaps been a little more alarming, winless in their last five games, With the caveat of a heavy fixture load. They have scored just two goals in that run of games which has seen four defeats.
Last time out, they went down to an improved Hills United outfit. They held a lot of possession but couldn’t quite capitalise it into attacking threat. As such, it’s there where they’ll need to improve with players like Riley Cox-Barlow and Mihael Marcic our players to watch here.
You can catch this one on Football NSW’s official YouTube page under the live tab.
Elsewhere:
Northern Tigers v Newcastle Jets; Saturday 28 June, 4:15pm, North Turramurra Recreation Area
Returning to the top of the table with a round 20 win, Northern Tigers look to have recaptured their form approaching the final third of the season. A point above second and four points above third, this is a pretty big game in their season.
Last weekend, they got a single goal win over a stubborn Bankstown City, a Connor Rose goal separating the sides. They have now kept a clean sheet in three of their last four games, things looking good ahead of a cup final Wednesday week.
Newcastle Jets returned to winning ways last weekend with a three goal win over Dulwich Hill at home. Seven points in their last four, a win here could well signal that they are an outside chance for a top two spot.
Given the context, you’d be surprised then that they did come away a tad disappointed at their lack of clinicalness particularly in the first half last weekend. That despite a brace from Xavier Bertoncello leading the line who now has 7 goals in 17 starts.
Hakoah FC v Mounties Wanderers; Saturday 28 June, 4:30pm, Hensley Athletic Field
Last weekend saw Hakoah FC pick up of of their biggest scalps of their season in getting the better of UNSW FC at home. A team who can rise to the occasion of facing a top side, fixtures like this one this weekend are the ones they have struggled in this season.
Back to the UNSW game which saw two Nick’s score respective braces in Nicholas Drummond and Nicholas Tooley, just the second time they’ve scored four goals in a match this season. They’ll be looking to overturn a round one defeat to Mounties back in March.
Mounties Wanderers will be desperate to pick up another result here though. Sitting in 15th, they’ve done a good job at bettering results from the first half of the season, but they’ll need to start turning one point into three.
They came from two goals down against Rydalmere Lions in round 20 action, the groups character pleasing Brett Hewit. A Benjamin Ansah goal drawing them level after Anthony Windsor scored earlier.
Canterbury Bankstown v Macarthur Rams; Saturday 28 June, 5pm, Jensen Park
It’s been a difficult part of the season for Canterbury Bankstown who are without a win in their last six games now, last weekend beaten by Blacktown Spartans last Friday night away from home.
Against a top six side, they left themselves with too much to do in the second half after conceding twice in the first half. They are looking a bit closer to full strength with some returning faces to the squad, but there could be action in the window as well.
It looks a lot tougher ask than it was a few weeks ago against a Macarthur Rams side who are picking up points fairly regularly including last weekend in a big game against Bonnyrigg White Eagles.
The dynamic Jaidyn Dunn led the way for the Rams in that one alongside Emmanuel Gonzalez who also found the back of the net. That result seeing them jump outside of the bottom two for the first time in over two months.
Dulwich Hill v Rydalmere Lions; Saturday 28 June, 5pm, Arlington Oval
Going up to Newcastle was always going to be a tough ask for Dulwich Hill last weekend with players missing. Sitting on 21 points, they are three points above 15th placed Mounties Wanderers with a big month ahead.
As such, there is a possibility of movement in the registration window as they chase the results required for survival. Another side who need to find more goals in particular with 21 goals in 20 games.
Rydalmere Lions suffered a blow to their top two hopes with a 2-2 draw with Mounties Wanderers last weekend. On 31 points, they sit seven behind second place with ten games to go so they can’t afford many more slip ups.
Their goal difference does suggest they should be doing better this season so there’s an argument they are under performing. However conceding 32 goals so far is where there could be definite improvement going forward.
Bulls FC Academy v Blacktown Spartans; Saturday 28 June, 7pm, Sydney United Sports Centre
It’s that time of the season again, last weekend saw a different looking Bulls FC Academy side take the field against Inter Lions away from home. As such, they tasted their first defeat in ten games as a result losing 3-1.
Atiya Waraga scored an equaliser inside the quarter hour but they couldn’t keep pace with their more experienced opponents. A key learning experience, it will be interesting to see how they’ll bounce back here.
This could be another tricky game against Blacktown Spartans however who have snuck into the promotion fight with back to back wins in recent times. Yes, five points behind their hosts here, a win could throw them right back into contention.
Last weekend they overcame Canterbury Bankstown at home last Friday night. Riley Chapple the clear standout in that one with a brace from midfield, scoring five goals in his last five appearances. They have a good record away from home this season with 17 points from 10 games.
Inter Lions v Hills United; Saturday 28 June, 7pm, Majors Bay Reserve
Inter Lions have benefited from having players back in the fray this past fortnight with back-to-back wins. After breaking their losing streak against Bonnyrigg White Eagles midweek, they secured an impressive win over Bulls academy three days later.
In a strong performance, they set themselves nicely in thhe first half with goal to Owen Duke and a brace to Nicola Kuleski either side of half time. With more players to come back, this will be a good test against an ever improving Hills side.
Speaking of, the visitors on this ocassion have won each of their last four league games, three of which have come against top opposition in SD Raiders, Newcastle Jets and Northern Tigers. All this while keeping clean sheets in the process.
Last weekend, they created some good chances against SD Raiders with Dimi Petratos scoring the decisive goal late in the first half. Can they make it four scalps in as many weeks here?
Bonnyrigg White Eagles v Bankstown City; Saturday 28 June, 7pm, Bonnyrigg Sports Club
Bonnyrigg White Eagles suffered a blow last weekend in their efforts to survive the drop. Against then 15th placed Macarthur Rams, they paid the price for a poor start conceding twice in the opening half hour leaving themselves too much to do.
In a losing effort, Charles Mendy was the player who looked the most threatening going forward. It’s defensively however where they need improvement, conceding over two games a game so far this season, could we see reinforcements on that front this weekend?
Their opponents Bankstown City are in not much better form. Sitting in twelfth, they are in a better position than their rivals but they will still need to pick up some results in the near future.
Last weekend they went down to the competition leaders narrowly at home. Their primary threat in that one coming from set pieces. Indeed that’s where improvement is to be had for Bankstown with just 25 goals in 20 games this season, 12 of which have been scored by Jonathan Grozdanovski.
By Justin Smith
