Round 25 Preview – League Two Men’s
With the potential for the 2025 Football NSW League Two Men’s title to be wrapped up in Round 25, plus a raft of teams in the battle for second, this round promises to provide plenty of big moments.
The Match of the Round this week takes place at Garside Park, where Granville Rage will hope to grab a big win in their hunt for promotion against the side currently leading the charge for 2nd in Prospect United SC in a match which could also inadvertently decide the league title.
Saturday, 26th July 2025
Match of the Round: Granville Rage vs Prospect United SC, 7pm at Garside Park
Previous meeting: Prospect United SC 4-0 Granville Rage
A massive clash for the top two sees one of the chasing teams in Granville Rage looking to take down the team in prime position for 2nd spot in Prospect United SC in a match which could also inadvertently decide the league title elsewhere.
In the reverse fixture, Prospect recorded a strong 5-0 home win over the Rage; they will hope to extend their unbeaten head-to-head run against the Rage to four matches, while Granville will be out to level the scores for the season.
5th-placed Granville Rage ensured they stayed in the promotion fight with a 2-0 away win over Central Coast United FC last week, a result which saw them go eight matches without defeat, with four wins and four clean sheets included amongst that time.
Timothy Borg-Williams continued to lead the Rage attack with his 13th goal of the season last week, while the likes of Jad Moussa and the rest of the Granville attackers, both in the starting line-up and off the bench, can lead them to victory.
A win for the Rage would see them close the gap to Prospect to just three points and could see them rise to as high as 3rd on the ladder, while a loss would put them nine points behind Prospect in the battle for 2nd.
2nd-placed Prospect United SC, meanwhile, extended their lead over the chasing pack to five points following their 2-0 home win over Nepean FC last week.
Prospect continued to show their defensive resilience and capabilities with a fifth-straight clean sheet in matches they have won lately; with only 22 goals conceded across 22 league matches, Prospect will hope to continue to utilise their strengths at the back to lead them to success.
A win for Prospect would see them delay Hurstville’s confirmation as league premiers for 2025 for another week but possibly extend their gap to the teams behind them to eight points, while a loss would see 1st place become unreachable and could see their lead from 2nd to the teams below them fall to just two points.
With the fight for 2nd far from over this season, both sides will hope to grab a big three points which will shape the rest of their seasons.
Central Coast United FC vs Bankstown United FC, 3pm at Pluim Park
Previous meeting: Bankstown United FC 1-1 Central Coast United FC
Central Coast United FC will hope to respond from back-to-back losses and shake up the promotion race when they host one of the league’s in-form sides in Bankstown United FC.
Earlier in the season, Central Coast came from behind to earn a 1-1 draw with Bankstown; they will hope to fight hard to hold off a Bankstown side looking to extend their winning streak.
13th-placed Central Coast United FC suffered back-to-back losses after their 2-0 home loss to Granville Rage last week but will hope to respond positively in Round 25.
Having only scored 20 goals from 23 matches this season, the Pirates will hope to find their clinical edge as they look to take a step away from the bottom sides this season.
A win for Central Coast would see them stay in 13th, while a loss could see them drop down to last place.
4th-placed Bankstown United FC, meanwhile, won a fifth-straight match after their 3-1 away win over Dunbar Rovers FC last week in what was a massive boost for their promotion hopes.
Their top goal scorer for the season, Marie Gauthier, scored his third double of the season last week and will hope to lead the line for Bankstown strongly, with a win crucial for Bankstown at this stage of the season.
A win for Bankstown could see them rise another spot into 3rd on the ladder, while a loss could see them drop back down to as low as 6th.
With Central Coast hoping to avoid dropping to last place and Bankstown looking to take a step up towards 2nd, both sides will scrap hard for the ball to come out with the three points from this match.
Sydney University SFC vs Dunbar Rovers FC, 5pm at Sydney University Football Ground
Previous meeting: Dunbar Rovers FC 0-0 Sydney University SFC
Sydney University SFC will hope to return from their bye refreshed and ready to take on the rest of the season when they host a Dunbar Rovers FC side looking to snap a winless run.
Earlier in the season, neither side was able to break the deadlock in a 0-0 draw; both sides will hope to be at their defensive best in this matchup this time around, too.
14th-placed Sydney University SFC will look to win a fourth match from their past five when they take to the field following their bye last week.
Having kept a clean sheet in each of their past three wins, scoring eight goals in that time, University are full of confidence and will look to take that energy to Dunbar.
A win for University could see them rise one spot into 13th on the ladder, while a loss could see them drop back down to last place for the first time since Round 20.
8th-placed Dunbar Rovers FC, meanwhile, went a fourth-straight match without a win following their 3-1 home loss to Bankstown United FC last week but will hope to bounce back away from home.
With injury blows to Guilherme Mazurkievicz Pansonato and Hristopher Neskovski ruling them out for the foreseeable, the depth of the Dunbar squad will be tested as they look to get back on the winner’s list.
A win for Dunbar could see them rise into the top half of the ladder into 7th, while a loss could see them drop one spot to 9th.
With University hoping to continue their positive final third of the season and Dunbar looking to bounce back from both injury and defeat, both sides will hope to showcase their abilities in this match.
Gladesville Ryde Magic vs Fraser Park FC, 5pm at Christie Park
Previous meeting: Fraser Park FC 2-1 Gladesville Ryde Magic
Gladesville Ryde Magic will hope to snap Fraser Park FC’s strong head-to-head form against them when they meet at Christie Park, with a straight swap for position on the ladder at stake.
Earlier in the season, Fraser Park won a third-straight head-to-head match over Gladesville following a 2-1 home win; they will hope to complete the league double for a second-straight year, while the Magic will hope to get revenge at home.
10th-placed Gladesville Ryde Magic fell to a tough 4-2 loss away to Parramatta FC last week but will hope to respond back at home, where they will hope to win for the first time in five attempts.
With the Magic hoping to have a positive end to the season, they will hope to return to winning ways sooner rather than later to avoid a late season slip down the ladder.
A win for the Magic would see them rise above Fraser Park into 9th on the ladder, while a loss could see them drop one spot to 11th.
9th-placed Fraser Park FC, meanwhile, suffered a late 2-1 loss at home to Inner West Hawks FC in last week’s Match of the Round but will hope to snap their four-match winless run.
Fraser Park will hope to work on implementing parts of their squad and style for the next season, with a few players brought in during the recent transfer window hoping to make their mark on the squad, too.
A win for Fraser Park could see them rise one spot into 8th on the ladder, while a loss could see them fall to as low as 11th.
With Gladesville and Fraser Park both hoping to get back to winning ways, both sides will be hopeful of coming out on top in this battle for league position.
Hurstville Zagreb FC vs Hawkesbury City FC, 5pm at Penshurst Park
Previous meeting: Hawkesbury City FC 0-3 Hurstville Zagreb FC
League-leading Hurstville Zagreb FC will have the chance to win the league in Round 25 when they host a side hopeful of getting back to form and back into the promotion hunt in Hawkesbury City FC.
Earlier in the season, Hurstville snapped a three-match winless head-to-head run against the Hawks with a 3-0 away win; they will hope to complete the league double and win at home to Hawkesbury for the first time in four meetings.
Hurstville know, following their 2-1 away win over South Coast Flame FC last week, a better result than Prospect can manage in their match this week will result in them being crowned League Two Men’s Premiers for 2025 and will result in their promotion to the League One Men’s competition for 2026.
Unbeaten in their last eleven matches, winning ten of them, and having only lost two matches all season, Hurstville will look to wrap up their side of the deal this week in style as they look to take home what could be the decisive three points.
A win for Hurstville will confirm the ultimate glory for them this season, while a draw or a loss would mean results elsewhere would have to go their way or else they will have to wait another week for their shot at glory.
6th-placed Hawkesbury City FC, meanwhile, will hope to snap a three-match winless run to get themselves back into the promotion hunt, as well as spoil any chance of Hurstville grabbing the league title this week.
With two of the league’s three top goal scorers for the season in their squad, Hawkesbury will hope to take their attacking prowess to Hurstville as they look to break down the tightest defence in the league.
A win for Hawkesbury could see them rise to as high as 3rd on the ladder in what is a tight ladder, while a loss would see them remain in 6th.
With the title potentially being decided in this match, as well as a crucial result for the race for 2nd, regardless, both sides will hope to be at their best as they both chase a big three points.
South Coast Flame FC vs Parramatta FC, 5pm at Sir Ian McLennan Oval
Previous meeting: Parramatta FC 1-1 South Coast Flame FC
Another big match in the chase for promotion this season sees South Coast Flame FC looking to get their promotion hopes back on track when they host a Parramatta FC side coming off a big win and looking to chase the top half teams down.
Earlier in the season, the Flame came from behind to snatch a 1-1 draw against the Eagles away; the Flame will hope to extend their unbeaten head-to-head streak against the Eagles to five matches, while Parramatta will hope to grab a big win to shake up the promotion race.
3rd-placed South Coast Flame FC suffered a tight 2-1 loss at home to the league-leading Hurstville Zagreb FC last week but will hope to get their promotion charge back on track in Round 25.
With the chasing pack behind the Flame also catching up, every win for the Flame from here until the end of the season will be crucial as they look to overtake Prospect into 2nd come the end of the season.
A win for the Flame could see them close the gap to 2nd-placed Prospect United SC to just two points, while a loss could see them drop to as low as 6th.
7th-placed Parramatta FC, meanwhile, won their first match in eight after their 4-2 home win over Gladesville Ryde Magic last week and will hope to shake up the promotion race with a win against the Flame.
With a squad getting back to fitness, a forward line which is looking to continue to gel and a desire to clean up errors in their game, Parramatta will hope to show their improvement when they travel down the coast.
A win for the Eagles would see them stay in 7th on the ladder, while a loss could see them drop one spot to 8th.
With the Flame looking to stay in contention for 2nd this season and Parramatta looking to win back-to-back matches for the first time since Round Nine, both sides will hope to take the match to the other as they chase down the win.
Inner West Hawks FC vs Camden Tigers FC, 7pm at Arlington Oval
Previous meeting: Camden Tigers FC 1-1 Inner West Hawks FC
Two last-start winners looking to have a positive end to the year sees Inner West Hawks FC and Camden Tigers FC looking to take each other down.
In the reverse fixture, Round 10’s Match of the Round, the Hawks came from behind to grab a 1-1 draw; they will hope to go a fifth-straight match unbeaten against the Tigers, who will hope to win away from home in back-to-back weeks.
12th-placed Inner West Hawks FC secured a dramatic, late 2-1 away win with the final kick of the match in last week’s Match of the Round against Fraser Park FC to snap a five-match winless streak and will hope to build on that win to have a positive end to the season in the coming weeks.
The Hawks will hope to build momentum to end the season in the next six weeks and will hope to do so with a strong performance against Camden, who they have a strong head-to-head record against.
A win for the Hawks could see them rise as many as two placed into 10th on the ladder, while a loss would see them remain in 12th.
Last-placed Camden Tigers FC, meanwhile, snapped their 14-match winless streak with a big 2-1 away win over Hawkesbury City FC last week and will hope to win back-to-back matches for the first time this season when they visit the Hawks.
While the whole squad had worked hard for the win and played as a unit, the Tigers’ leading goal scorer for the season in Bailey Simpson scored a double last week to take his tally to nine for the season; he will hope to hit double figures for the year in this match.
A win for Camden could see them rise out of last place for the first time since Round 20, while a loss would see them remain there for another week.
With both sides coming off big last start wins, both the Hawks and the Tigers will hope to fight hard for the three points in this match.
11th-placed Nepean FC have a bye in Round 25.
By Football NSW League Two Men’s Reporter, Dylan Costa
