PS4 NPL NSW Men’s 1 Grade 20s Round 11 Preview
ROUND eleven of the Grade 20s competition takes place this weekend, with five matches on Saturday and one on Sunday as the season hits the halfway mark.
The match of the round this weekend has Sydney United 58 FC hosting Sydney Olympic FC at Sydney United Sports Centre on Sunday afternoon, where both sides will be looking to continue to push for a place in the top four.
Match of the Round
Sydney United 58 FC v Sydney Olympic FC, Sunday 1pm at Sydney United Sports Centre
This week’s match of the round takes place on Sunday afternoon at Sydney United Sports Centre, where sixth-placed Sydney United take on ninth-placed Sydney Olympic. Olympic travel to Edensor Park on the back of a 3-0 defeat to Sutherland Sharks, while United return home after a 5-1 thrashing of Marconi Stallions last Saturday; extending their unbeaten run to four straight matches.
Saturday
Blacktown Spartans FC v APIA Leichhardt Tigers FC, 5.30pm at Blacktown Football Park
A week after their heavy 4-1 defeat to Blacktown City, Blacktown Spartans return to Blacktown Football Park on Saturday afternoon, where they will face APIA Leichhardt Tigers. Two goals from Lachlan Scott helped APIA to a 4-0 win over the lowly Bonnyrigg White Eagles last weekend, and the Tigers now sit eighth on the table; six points head of the tenth-placed Spartans.
Bonnyrigg White Eagles FC v Rockdale City Suns, 5.30pm at Bonnyrigg Sports Club
Both Bonnyrigg White Eagles and Rockdale City Suns will be presented with arguably their best chance for a win in months when they face each other at Bonnyrigg Sports Club on Saturday afternoon. Bonnyrigg remain scoreless since mid-April, as do Rockdale, though the visitors have at least picked up a point in recent weeks, away to South Coast Wolves. Bonnyrigg were beaten 4-0 by APIA Leichhardt last week, while Rockdale fell to a defeat by the same scoreline against Parramatta FC, a result which sees them stay only four points above their opponents on Saturday.
Marconi Stallions FC v South Coast Wolves, 5.30pm at Marconi Stadium
Marconi Stallions will look to bounce back into form this Saturday afternoon when they face South Coast Wolves at Marconi Stadium, after a surprising 5-1 defeat to Sydney Untied 58 cut their lead over Sutherland Sharks to just three points; the Sharks with an extra game in hand. South Coast Wolves have slipped to fifth after a draw at home with Bonnyrigg, followed by a loss to Manly United last week, cut their five-match winning streak short.
Parramatta FC v Manly United, 5.30pm at Melita Stadium
Parramatta FC face off against Manly United at Melita Stadium on Saturday afternoon after recording their best result of the season last weekend, a 4-0 win over Rockdale City Suns at the Ilinden Sports Centre. Manly, meanwhile, managed a home 2-0 defeat of South Coast Wolves, leaving them in fourth place on 17 points – only three above Parramatta FC in seventh, meaning the hosts could leapfrog Manly into fourth place should they win on Saturday.
Sutherland Sharks FC v Blacktown City FC, 5.30pm at Win Stadium
After an indifferent run of form, culminating in their 2-1 loss to Marconi two weeks ago, loosened Sutherland’s grip on first place on the table, and saw them slip out of the top two for the first time this season, the Sharks returned to winning ways with a comprehensive 3-0 defeat of Sydney Olympic last Sunday. Their opponents on Saturday afternoon, Blacktown City, come into this fixture on a similar high, having beaten local rivals Blacktown Spartans 4-1 in round 10.
– By Max Grieve, PS4 National Premier Leagues Grade 20s Reporter
