Round 19 – NPL NSW Men’s 20’s Preview

One point separates the top three sides as the NPL NSW Men’s 20’s competition heads into Round 19, with Sutherland Sharks leading Blacktown City by the slimmest of margins on goal difference, and Sydney FC sitting just behind.

With four rounds remaining, it promises to be one of the most exciting finishes to the season in recent memory as the race for first and fifth goes right down to the wire.

Match of the Round: Sydney FC v Sydney Olympic FC, Saturday 5.45pm at Lambert Park

A week after dealing out a 4-1 defeat to APIA Leichhardt Tigers, Sydney FC found themselves on the wrong end of the same scoreline when they slipped to only their third loss of the season against Manly United in Round 18.

Hamish Lamberton put Sydney FC in front at halftime but Manly roared back after the break to put Sydney third behind Blacktown City and Sutherland Sharks, with just a point separating them from the top two.

Sydney Olympic travel to Lambert Park in relatively good form, having won two of their last three against Marconi Stallions and Rockdale City Suns. A fortnight ago Olympic beat Rockdale 2-1 to move off the bottom of the table on goal difference, and have proved tricky opponents for Sydney FC already this season, having drawn 2-2 when they met in late April at Belmore.

Saturday

Sydney United 58 FC v Bonnyrigg White Eagles FC, 12pm at Sydney United Sports Centre

Sydney United 58 kept themselves in the hunt for a place in the finals with a crucial win over Hakoah Sydney City East a fortnight ago, moving within two points of the side from Sydney’s east with a goal in each half securing a 2-1 win at Sydney United Sports Centre.

Having lost just once in their previous five matches (a stunning 7-0 defeat to Sydney FC), Sydney United will be confident of carrying that good form into a match against the competition’s 10th-placed side.

Bonnyrigg were down 1-0 to Wollongong Wolves at halftime when they met two weeks ago, but pegged their opponents back with a goal in the second half to take an unlikely point from fourth-placed Wolves. Despite their stuttering form Bonnyrigg also have reason to be hopeful heading into this one, having beaten Sydney United 2-0 when they met at Bonnyrigg Sports Centre in Round 8.

Sutherland Sharks FC v Manly United FC, 4.30pm at Seymour Shaw

Sutherland Sharks slipped to a stunning defeat at the hands of APIA Leichhardt a fortnight ago, going down 3-1 to the Tigers at Lambert Park.

The Tigers blew their opponents away in the first half hour, with Thomas Hilton’s second half strike little more than consolation for the Sharks as they missed the chance to push three points in front of Blacktown City FC at the top of the table.

Manly United, meanwhile, come into this weekend’s match at Seymour Shaw on a high after a surprise result of their own, overcoming Sydney FC 4-1 at Cromer Park two weeks ago to minimise the damage for Sutherland.

It ended 3-1 to the Sharks when Manly United played host to this fixture back in April, thanks to goals from Ryoga Suyama, Blake Currey and James Temelkovski.

Hakoah Sydney City East FC v Blacktown City FC, 5pm at Hensley Athletic Field

Hakoah Sydney City East remain two points ahead of Sydney United 58 FC in fifth place after a 2-1 win two weeks ago, but can scarcely afford to drop points as the competition turns into the final stretch.

This week they take on Blacktown City FC, now in second place after winning their game in hand over Bonnyrigg in the gap between Rounds 18 and 19.

Blacktown responded well to their loss to Marconi to bounce back against Bonnyrigg, and now turn their attentions to overhauling Sutherland at the top of the table.

They’ll travel to Hensley Athletic Field this weekend with some confidence of a positive result, having taken all three points with a 1-0 win when these sides met in Round 8.

Wollongong Wolves FC v APIA Leichhardt Tigers FC, 5pm at WIN Stadium

Wollongong Wolves were kept to a 1-1 draw when they visited Bonnyrigg White Eagles at Bonnyrigg Sports Club two weeks ago and are now level on points with Hakoah Sydney City East on 28 points, just two ahead of sixth-placed Sydney United 58 FC.

The Wolves will be hoping that the week’s break has interrupted their opponent’s momentum this weekend, as APIA Leichhardt travel south on the back of a shock 3-1 defeat of competition leaders Sutherland Sharks in Round 18.

APIA are mathematically in with a chance of making the finals, but would likely need to win all their remaining games and rely on other results to go their way. Having lost 3-0 to Wollongong when they met at Lambert Park in April, any sort of result would be a marked improvement for the Tigers.

Sunday

Rockdale City Suns FC v Marconi Stallions FC, 3pm at Ilinden Sports Centre

Rockdale might have thought they’d turned a corner to end a disappointing season on a high after beating Manly United 1-0 in Round 17 to jump above Sydney Olympic at the bottom of the table, but the Suns slipped a 2-1 defeat to their wooden spoon rivals two weeks ago to drop back to the food of the ladder.

Marconi, meanwhile, come into this fixture as one of the form teams of the competition, having lost only once in their last six matches.

A 1-0 win over second-placed Blacktown City in Round 18 gives Marconi faint hope of beating Wollongong or Hakoah to a place in the finals, the Stallions now five points off fifth place.

Rockdale pulled off an unlikely win away when these sides met at Marconi Stadium in April, with goals from Nathan Separovic and Dimitrios Petratos condemning the Stallions to a 2-1 defeat.

-By Max Grieve