Round 27 Preview – League One Men’s
Four matches to go, the FNSW League One Men’s still looks too tough to call approaching round 27 of the 2025 competition.
Our top five separated by two points, there are some big fixtures to come in this thrilling race for a top two place including our match of the round this weekend. .
Match of the Round: Northern Tigers v Rydalmere Lions; Saturday 9 August, 4:15pm, North Turramurra Recreation Area
There are some big games ahead of us in the final month of the season and it all starts here as Northern Tigers return to action when they host Rydalmere Lions this Saturday.
Prior to having a week off last weekend, the Tigers lost their last two games while Rydalmere Lions can’t afford any more slip ups in their remaining fixtures.
We’ll start with the Tigers who sit in fourth position with a game in hand over teams around them. Last time we saw them take the field, they suffered a 4-1 defeat at this same venue against fellow promotion hopefuls Blacktown Spartans.
In recent times, they have struggled to find the back of the net with just three goals in their last three league fixtures (conceding six in the same amount of time). As such, focus will be on golden boot leader Kai Denton, Taiga Kawano and Jesse Spang ahead of this one. While Ally Brown looks like their most likely creative spark.
Rydalmere Lions seem to be in a similar place to their hosts coming into this one. They have dropped points in their last two fixtures in which they’ve drawn with Canterbury Bankstown and lost to Macarthur Rams in consecutive weeks.
Against the Berries it was definitely a case of two points lost rather than a point gained. Isaac Cunningham has been an important addition of late while we have also seen James Husoy break into the first team. Can they find their attacking form once again for this one? Eyes will be on Ahmad Taleb and Robert Eremugo to do so.
You can catch this one on the Football NSW youtube page under the live tab this Saturday afternoon.
Blacktown Spartans v Macarthur Rams; Friday 8 August, 8:15pm, Blacktown Football Park
After a disappointing hiccup in their chase of a top two position, Blacktown Spartans will look to bounce back to winning ways this Friday night. If they are too get there, you’d suggest six points in their next two games will be crucial.
Against Inter Lions last week, the Spartans struggled to defend in transition when they were required to chase a goal. While it was also noticeable that Aedon Kyra didn’t have his best night with their one goal coming from a set piece.
Saying things didn’t go to plan for Macarthur Rams last weekend would perhaps be an understatement. Not the first side to be ambushed early by UNSW, they couldn’t really recover from it going down to a disappointing defeat.
As such, starting this game will be a focus here particularly on the defensive front. These next three games will be a good opportunity to see where this side sit heading into season 2026, they will still need a result to secure there spot there.
Bonnyrigg White Eagles v Hakoah FC; Saturday 9 August; 5pm, Bonnyrigg Sports Club
Results elsewhere made the task of Bonnyrigg White Eagles look that much harder ahead of their return to the pitch. With thirteen teams out of reach, reaching the end of season promotion/relegation playoff looks to be the goal in the final month.
Something that they can probably achieve if they were to get three points here. We know there’s quality in this side and they need to show it with matches against Northern Tigers and Rydalmere Lions still to come.
Hakoah FC weren’t far away from gaining a shock result over Newcastle Jets academy last weekend at Hensley Athletic. Holding a lead at the hour mark, they couldn’t quite finish the job against the promotion chasers conceding a late goal which meant sharing the points.
In positive news, Sebastian Boffa scored his first goal for the side after joining in the window after Valentin Cuny gave them the lead. It was a good bounce back from a hefty defeat to Hills United the week before, can they build upon it with another result here?
Canterbury Bankstown v UNSW FC; Saturday 9 August, 5pm, Jensen Park
Canterbury Bankstown could well have a big say in the promotion race despite sitting 11th position. Scheduled to face three sides chasing promotion in the final four weeks including UNSW here, they have an unbeaten four game run.
As such, their defence deserves a lot of credit of late conceding just one goal in four games. But they’ll obviously want to score more goals in upcoming weeks to compliment that defence with just two goals in their last four.
It came to our attention that the progression of UNSW FC in recent times has gone a bit under the radar (particularly to those looking from the outside of the division). Sitting top with four games to go, they sit in a really good position.
Last weekend, they once again got off to a fast start with two Tom Quilligans goal in the opening fifteen minutes setting the tone. Sound familiar? Well the exact same thing happened a fortnight before. If there has been a weakness of late, its away from home so eyes will be on them here.
Inter Lions v Mounties Wanderers; Saturday 9 August, 7pm, Majors Bay Reserve
Inter Lions were able to throw a spanner in the promotion hopes of a side last weekend, now they’ll have a say in the survival hopes of another with this game this weekend. A good reminder of what they can do well, Shane Cevenini’s side have a chance to finish the season on a high.
Against Blacktown Spartans, Malcolm Ward gave them an equaliser before half time which set up the game well for them. The Lions utilising the space in transition too score another couple of goals. Harry Rushton a player who definitely deserved a mention from that one.
Mounties Wanderers are running out of games in their efforts to survive this season. Seven points behind 14th placed Macarthur Rams, there isn’t much wiggle room with a couple of tough fixtures on the horizon in Blacktown Spartans and Hills United.
Last weekend, they couldn’t quite match it with SD Raiders having to withstand considerable pressure throughout that game. Last time they lost a game, they had trouble turning it around. Can they rebound quicker on this occasion.
Bulls FC Academy v SD Raiders; Saturday 9 August, 7pm, Sydney United Sports Centre
The fixtures aren’t getting any easier for Bulls FC Academy who are struggling to turn around their poor run of form. Seven games without a win is the kind of run which can get on top of an academy side so they’ll hope to turn it around soon.
Last weekend, they tasted defeat away from home against Dulwich Hill with a pretty strong team on paper. A noteworthy element of recent struggles being their struggles to find the back of the net, scoring two goals only once in that run.
Three wins in a row has SD Raiders in pretty good position ahead of a big few weeks for the club. This game against Bulls FC Academy is followed by fixtures against Newcastle Jets academy and Blacktown Spartans in consecutive weeks.
If they are to secure a top two spot, this stands as a big hurdle with a few mental demons to overcome in both the cup and league. Last weekend they put in a positive performance against Mounites Wanderers with Lachlan Everett and Cooper Hanagan scoring second half goals.
Newcastle Jets v Bankstown City; Saturday 9 August, 7pm, Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility
Not the only side to slip up in the promotion race last weekend, Newcastle Jets return home eying an important three points this weekend. Sitting in third, they are well within striking distance of the top two with a month left.
Against Hakoah, they battled the weather as well as their opponents, with a Makye Buettner goal with fifteen minutes left earning them a point. While in cup action midweek, Maxwell Cooper and Xavier Bertoncello both started for the first team joined by Ethan Debono and Alexandro Nunes who appeared off the bench.
Bankstown City seem like a side just waiting for season 2025 to end. Sitting clear of safety and well off the pace regarding the title fight, it’s really a case of playing for pride in the remaining four games, possibly three of which come against sides competing for the top two.
Last weekend, they played out a scoreless draw with Hills United at home. In difficult conditions securing their eighth clean sheet of the season. They won the first meeting between the two sides back in late April by a 3-2 margin.
Hills United v Dulwich Hill; Saturday 9 August, 7pm, Valentine Sports Park
A completely different game to the first time around for the right reasons, Hills United are well up the table in comparison to the first time these two met. On 35 points, they once again took positives from their round 26 meeting with Bankstown City.
Claiming their second straight clean sheet was pleasing but they continued their hot and cold run of form in the final third. Something they can set the foundation for with a strong finish to the season with some win-able games in the final month.
A big three points for Dulwich Hill last weekend essentially secured them a spot in the division for 2026. Prevailing 2-1 over Bulls FC Academy, they came from behind to secure the three points in difficult conditions at Arlington Oval.
No coincidence that it came when Tony Valavanis had a full squad at his disposal which everyone contributing to the win which saw Mark Younes equalise before Daniel Fornito scored the winner with fifteen minutes to go.
By Justin Smith
