PS4 NPL NSW Men’s 1 Grade 20s Round 8 Preview
ROUND eight of the Grade 20s takes place this weekend, with three matches on both Saturday and Sunday afternoon.
This week’s match of the round sees the struggling Blacktown Spartans travel to Belmore Sports Ground to take on Sydney Olympic on Sunday afternoon, with the home side looking to bounce back after a defeat to Marconi last week.
Match of the Round
Sydney Olympic FC v Blacktown Spartans FC, Sunday 1pm at Blacktown Football Park
Olympic fell to a 1-0 loss to Marconi last week after the match was moved to Valentine Sports Park due to heavy rain, and will be hoping the weather holds off when Blacktown Spartans visit Belmore Sports Ground on Sunday afternoon. The Spartans also suffered a defeat last week, to Parramatta FC, and will look to snap a four-game losing streak against an Olympic side in indifferent form itself, and currently sitting seventh on the table.
Saturday
Bonnyrigg White Eagles FC v Parramatta FC, 5.30pm at Bonnyrigg Sports Club
Bonnyrigg White Eagles and Parramatta FC face off with both sides enjoying markedly different fortunes in recent weeks. Parramatta will hope to secure their third win in four games, rather than continue their current cycle of inconsistency, while Bonnyrigg are still searching for their first goal, and point, of 2015. Adrian Vranic is the threat for the away side with 5 goals this season, though he hasn’t scored in either of Parramatta’s last two matches.
APIA Leichhardt Tigers FC v South Coast Wolves FC, 5.30pm at Lambert Park
APIA were unfortunate not to earn a point at Sydney United Sports Centre last Sunday, where they were beaten 3-2 by Sydney United 58. Dominic Cox scored his second goal of the season in that loss, which saw APIA slip to ninth on the table. Their opponents this week, South Coast Wolves, arrive at Lambert Park on the back of a 4-0 defeat of Bonnyrigg White Eagles, and in resurgent form after a poor start to the season: should they beat the home side on Saturday afternoon, it would be their 5th consecutive win.
Marconi Stallions FC v Blacktown City FC, 5.30pm at Valentine Sports Park
First-placed Marconi Stallions play host to Blacktown City on Saturday afternoon, with both sides in form; Blacktown unbeaten in five matches, and Marconi unbeaten in two. The visitors’ last victory came against Manly United, in which striker Jonathan Grozdanovski scored a hattrick, while the Stallions will return once again to Valentine Sports Park after their 1-0 win over Sydney Olympic at Football NSW’s headquarters.
Sunday
Manly United FC v Sutherland Sharks FC, 1pm at Cromer Park
Sutherland Sharks arrive at Cromer Park placed second after slipping up at APIA Leichhardt a few weeks ago, but returned to winning ways with a 3-0 defeat of Rockdale City Suns last Saturday; their fourth victory in five games. Manly have slipped to fourth after two consecutive defeats – last week a 4-1 loss away to Blacktown City – but could go level with the Sharks on 15 points if they can rediscover their earlier form.
Rockdale City Suns FC v Sydney United 58 FC, 1pm at Ilinden Sports Centre
Rockdale City remained winless in April – the latest loss coming against the high-flying Sutherland Sharks – and sit tenth on the ladder ahead of their Sunday afternoon clash with Sydney United 58. The visitors aren’t doing much better, only two places higher in eighth, but broke a four match winless streak with a 3-2 win over APIA Leichhardt Tigers last week, with goals coming from Liam McGing, James Temelkovski and Tomislav Borovickic.
– By Max Grieve, PS4 National Premier Leagues Grade 20s Reporter
