Round 16 Preview – League One Men’s

Having crossed the halfway point of the FNSW League One Men’s season, it’s time to take stock of where our teams are and look ahead to Round 16 to be played this weekend.
Our match of the round sees a revitalised Western City Rangers host Macarthur Rams. While plenty of eyes will be on Bankstown City as they travel to face top five opposition.

Match of the Round: Western City Rangers v Macarthur Rams; Saturday 23 May, 7pm, Popondetta Park

After dropping into the bottom two last weekend, Western City Rangers face Macarthur Rams in our Match of the Round this weekend.
A further week on the training pitch meant we saw more of what we should expect from Western City Rangers under interim boss Tim Aitken. Sitting in the bottom two after the weekend is perhaps an unfair reflection after they held second placed Northern Tigers to a draw at North Turramurra.
Labeled as a performance that the players and club should be proud of, they were excellent particularly out of possession with Marcelo Martelotta and Paulo Bonanni excellent in defence. While Harry Mount’s debut could well lift morale at the club. Shayden Sampow the player to watch going forward in this one.
It’s perhaps a good time for them to take on Macarthur Rams who have one point from their last two, in turn dropping into eighth position on the ladder. Last weekend saw them go down to a disappointing defeat to Canterbury Bankstown at Lynwood Park.
If we look more broadly at their season, they have a really good defence but have struggled to score goals at the other end. Twelve of their seventeen goals this season scored by Chan Yelchan and Olivier Beltran-Woodward alone. Look for them to be a threat in transition and from the set piece.
You can catch this one on the FNSW YouTube page under the live tab this Saturday evening.

Last meeting: Macarthur Rams 3-1 Western City Rangers

Elsewhere

Hakoah FC v Dulwich Hill; Saturday 23 May, 4:30pm, Hensley Athletic Field

Twelfth-placed Hakoah FC host eleventh placed Dulwich Hill with both sides in contrasting form.
There’s certainly improvement to be had from a Hakoah FC perspective moving into the second half of the season. They tasted an unwanted defeat to Inter Lions last weekend in a game where they struggled to attack.
It’s not something which has particularly troubled them in previous weeks so perhaps expect a response here. A potential key being the return of Cam Philpot from injury who scored off the bench last week.
They face a Dulwich Hill side who are a completely different prospect to their first meeting of the season. Five wins since Round 8, they beat top four opposition for the first time this season against Rydalmere Lions.
Marcus Lal and Micaiah Te Rata the standouts for Berhan Ackalmaz’s side while Harry Jones also returned to the fray with his influence evident.

Last Meeting: Dulwich Hill 1-1 Hakoah FC

Canterbury Bankstown v Northern Tigers; Saturday 23 May, 5pm, Jensen Park

Canterbury Bankstown host second placed Northern Tigers who come in on the back of consecutive draws.
One thing that’s apparent at the halfway point of the season is how tough it’s been to get consecutive results, something Canterbury Bankstown will be trying to do here. In 10th position, they took out a 2-0 win over Macarthur Rams last weekend.
A lot of the credit has to go to the Berries defence in that one limiting their opponent to scraps in the opening hour. While Patrick Savor and Fikret Berisha scored the goals to give them three points.
Their opponents Northern Tigers are perhaps vulnerable here after back-to-back draws has them clinging onto a top two position. In short, their game against Western City Rangers was one to forget and they’ll be keen to bounce back quickly.
Kai Denton was a bright spot on the day scoring to become the club’s all-time leading goalscorer with a goal around the hour mark.

Last Meeting: Northern Tigers 3-2 Canterbury Bankstown

Hills United v Blacktown Spartans; Saturday 23 May, 5pm, Valentine Sports Park

League leaders Blacktown Spartans await Hills United as the hosts look to recapture form in Round 16 action.
Hills United saw their three game winning streak brought to an end last weekend in a high-scoring fixture against Central Coast Mariners. There is a potential for them to still be fighting for a top two position however sitting six points adrift at the halfway point.
Back to last weekend, they weren’t far off matching the Mariners. Three of their top players in front of goal still finding the back of the net in Yuki Kanai, Lachlan Sepping and Walid Moutaouakkil.
Returning to winning ways last weekend were Blacktown Spartans who hold a four point lead at the top of the table at the halfway point. Last weekend they claimed a high-scoring win over Bulls FC Academy with a last minute winner.
Crucial to the win was the return of Aedon Kyra who came back into the picture after a few rounds out. However as it has been for a lot of the season, it was a true team performance.

Last Meeting: Blacktown Spartans 4-1 Hills United

Inter Lions v Bulls FC Academy; Saturday 23 May, 5pm, Majors Bay Reserve

On the back of three straight wins, Inter Lions host Bulls FC Academy in a contest which should tell us a lot about where the hosts are at.
After an awful start to the season, Inter Lions climbed out of the bottom three with a Match of the Round victory over Hakoah FC last weekend. It’s been an impressive run of form by Nick Porreca’s side who scored three goals for just the second time this season.
Indeed it is there where we shall focus on going into this one having scored eight goals in three weeks. The trio of James Khoury, Owen Duke and Sebastien Portolesi all finding the back of the net multiple times in recent weeks.
Bulls FC Academy continued their hot and cold first half of the season with a loss to Blacktown Spartans last Friday night. With seven wins, one draw and seven losses across the season, it’s no surprise they are sitting around the middle of the table.
In saying all that, there were positives to take from last weekend as they came back from a goal down on multiple occasions. Ali El-Sabeh and Oliver Randazzo both scoring in that game. It will be interesting to see how this team looks in a few weeks.

Last Meeting: Bulls FC Academy 2-0 Inter Lions

Newcastle Jets v Hurstville Zagreb; Saturday 23 May, 5pm, Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility

Newcastle Jets Academy return home to host Hurstville Zagreb in a mid-table contest as they both search for consistency.
Another side sitting in the mid-table minefield are Newcastle Jets Academy who returned to winning ways with a 3-1 victory over Bankstown City on the road last weekend. A very good first half set the tone for them to get the three points, the struggle has been backing up on a weekly basis so far this season.
Two players who earned a special mention there were goalkeeper Cayden Lobach and debutante Kaiden Walshie who were excellent. While Meliwethu Nkomo and Noah Peacock both made a difference off the bench.
Hurstville Zagreb picked up an important three points to conclude their first half of the campaign. Sitting on 16 points at the turn of the season, you suggest matching their results in the first half would be enough to survive in the division.
Back to last weekend, they put together a good performance throughout. Coach Valerio Silvestro singling out George Antonis, Michael Vakis, Mo Ahmed and Matthew Moric as their best alongside Alessandro Lacalandra who scored a brace.

Last Meeting: Hurstville Zagreb 0-0 Newcastle Jets

Rydalmere Lions v Bankstown City; Saturday 23 May, 6:30pm, Rydalmere Park

Remember the first meeting between these two? Bankstown City will be out for revenge as they travel to face Rydalmere Lions.
It’s a big game for both these sides who have dropped points of late. In the case of Rydalmere Lions, they have two points from four fixtures coming in on the back of two defeats at the hands of Hills United and Dulwich Hill.
It’s perhaps in front of goal where the issue currently lies averaging just a goal a game across their last four. As such, it’s up to the likes of Adil Toska and Isaac Cunningham to step forward here, Cunningham scoring a hat-trick in their last meeting.
Which brings us to Bankstown City who are preparing for their first game without Fabian Miceli in the dugout with the club set to announce a new coach shortly. Two points off the promotion/relegation playoff spot, the season is still salvageable for the heavy favourites coming into the competition.
Last weekend, they fell to a 3-1 defeat to Newcastle Jets conceding twice late in the game. We know they have the quality on paper personnel wise, it’s about improving performance wise from here on.

Last Meeting: Bankstown City 4-5 Rydalmere Lions

Central Coast Mariners v Prospect United; Sunday 24 May, 3pm, Pluim Park

Central Coast Mariners host Prospect United in the final game of the round, Sunday afternoon.
Entering the top four last weekend, Central Coast Mariners can’t be written off as a team to have a say in the top two race. Three straight wins, they beat Hills United at home in their Round 15 contest in a high scoring thriller.
A lot of credit has to go to Phillipe Bernabo-Madrid for how this team is performing. Laurence Taylor and last week’s substitutes the standouts last weekend.
Results elsewhere meant Prospect United fell to the bottom of the competition after fifteen rounds. A side who have been competitive in most of their games this season, they are yet to find a consistent winning formula this season.
Last weekend, they suffered their seventh defeat of the season against Hurstville Zagreb away from home succumbing despite a late comeback which saw Praneet Singh score in the 79th minute.

Last Meeting: Prospect United 1-1 Central Coast Mariners