NPL NSW Men’s/FNSW League One Men’s – Promotion Relegation – First Leg Preview

The promotion/relegation playoff this year sees a new face take on a familiar one as SD Raiders FC host Central Coast Mariners in the first leg at Ernie Smith Reserve this Saturday.

Both these sides come into this home/away playoff after differing finishes to the season with SD Raiders winning their last seven games in the League One Men’s competition, while Central Coast Mariners form has been mixed with some good results and some bad in the final six weeks of the season.

We’ll start with the hosts for the first in SD Raiders who have had a superb season in both the League One Men’s competition and HAHN Australia Cup. Indeed, you do wonder if those cup games could have them more primed for this two legged tie.

In the league, they won their last seven games including two against academy sides in the recent past. While the Blacktown Spartans game a fortnight ago also stands out as it secured their position in the playoff, a game in which they won 2-0.

Coach Goran Ljuboja has built a pretty strong side across multiple registrations windows. Standouts this season include right back Cooper Hanagan and top goalscorer Riley Cox-Barlow. While the most recent window saw centre back Ethan Beaven, midfielder Lachlan Everett and attacker Luka Knezevic all come in and thrive.

They face a Central Coast Mariners side who have been much improved in the final third of the NPL NSW campaign. After losing fourteen of their opening nineteen league games, they recovered their season with only three losses since round 20, a run which included wins over the likes of Sydney United and Marconi Stallions along the way.

However two of those losses did come in two pivotal games at the tail end of the season so it will be interesting to see how they respond in this one.

In terms of players to keep an eye on in this one. Jai Rose has been very important for the Mariners this season along with Ahmed El Helou who is gradually returning to fitness. While Shumba Mutokoyi, Harrison Jablonski, Ty McKibbin and Max Miller have all made the transition into first grade from their 20’s set up seamlessly.

So the stage is set for these two sides, it’s a tough one to call heading into this first leg. You can catch the match on the Football NSW YouTube page under the live tab this Saturday evening with Peter Prior calling all the action.

SD Raiders v Central Coast Mariners; Saturday 6 September, 5pm, Ernie Smith Reserve

By Justin Smith