Round 18 Preview – NPL Men’s NSW
Round 18 of the NPL Men’s NSW competition promises to pose plenty of entertainment and good football, with some important clashes on both ends of the table set to take place.
Manly United FC vs APIA Leichhardt FC
7:30pm, Friday 7 June, Cromer Park
Manly United FC will take on high-flying APIA Leichhardt at Cromer Park in a joint-opening to Round 18.
Manly secured an important victory last weekend to propel themselves into 10th place, safely away from the relegation zone, with a 1-0 victory over Sydney FC.
APIA Leichhardt saw their round 17 clash postponed due to heavy rainfall but will be fresh off the back of a major Australia Cup Preliminary Rounds clash with Marconi Stallions.
They will be the less fresh of the two sides, but will nevertheless head into this clash as the favourites, with their fluid front-line of Rory Jordan, Ben Gibson and Jack Stewart looking as threatening as ever as they prepare for a Friday night at Cromer Park.
Sydney FC vs St George FC
7:30pm, Friday 7 June, Rockdale Illinden Sports Centre
Sydney FC will come up against St George FC as their wait for their third victory of the season grows even longer.
The Sky Blues’ 1-0 defeat to Manly United last weekend pushed them to the bottom of the ladder on goal difference.
A win could see them jump up to third-last – out of relegation contention – but three points have been hard to come by, with their last victory coming almost three months ago.
They will be facing an in-form St George FC who have lost just one of their last five matches – a 3-0 defeat to Blacktown City last weekend.
The Saints will be confident of adding another victory to their locker to continue their recent surge up the ladder, while Sydney will be desperate to gain what would be an invaluable three points for their season.
Sutherland Sharks FC vs Blacktown City FC
4:30pm, Saturday 8 June, Seymour Shaw
Sutherland Sharks will come up against Blacktown City in an exciting clash at Seymour Shaw on Saturday afternoon.
Blacktown City enjoyed an important 3-0 victory over St George FC in their last fixture to rebound off a 3-1 defeat to APIA Leichhardt, allowing them to retain their four-point advantage in the finals position.
Sutherland Sharks, on the other hand, saw their most recent clash postponed, and will be raring to go for this matchup as they look to make a statement against the in-form Blacktown City and increase the gap between them and a relegation place.
However, to do that, they’ll have to stop Blacktown’s plethora of attacking threat, spearheaded by Jak O’Brien – the second-leading goalscorer in the competition, who will be supported by the likes of Joey Gibbs, Mitchell Mallia, Travis Major and more.
This will be an exciting clash at Seymour Shaw, as some of the most technically proficient players in the league face off with a victory the target for both clubs.
NWS Spirit FC vs Marconi Stallions FC
5:30pm, Saturday 8 June, Christie Park
NWS Spirit FC will take on Marconi Stallions in another intriguing Saturday fixture.
Both sides had their round 17 match postponed due to the heavy rainfall experienced across the wider Sydney region.
Spirit is currently in 12th place, seven points clear of relegation contention, while Marconi is in fifth, with a game in hand on the two teams above them.
Marconi will be aiming for another victory to retain their strong form and continue to pile pressure on the top of the table, while Spirit will be aiming for points of their own to further ensure their safety.
It will be a fiery, exciting, must-watch affair at Christie Park that will see good football find a perfect blend with intense, heated play.
Hills United FC vs Central Coast Mariners FC
7:00pm, Saturday 8 June, Landen Stadium
Hills United will take on a hungry Central Coast Mariners in a vital clash at Landen Stadium.
The Central Coast Mariners picked up a 3-3 draw in their last game (their weekend match vs APIA was watched out), where the point was crucial, but the result was disappointing.
In the 60th minute, the Mariners were leading 3-1 courtesy of a hattrick from Taye Asthon Hedley, however, two penalty concessions – dispatched by Troy Danaskos and Jesse Spang in the 73rd and 84th minute respectively saw the final result be a draw.
The Mariners moved off the bottom of the ladder, but remain in the relegation playoff spot, and three points against Hills United could not just give them a chance to escape, but draw their opponents into the battle too.
Meanwhile, Hills, currently seven points clear of that battle, will be searching for a vital victory, which would see them continue to remain safe above relegation contention.
St George City FA vs Wollongong Wolves FC
7:15pm, Saturday 8 June, Penshurst Park
St George City will take on the Wollongong Wolves in a fascinating matchup in the race for finals.
St George got the job done last weekend with a 1-0 win over Sydney Olympic, in which centre-back duo Matthew Keremelevski and Solomon-Johnn Monohan-Vaiika impressed, controlling their match through their composure in possession and their athleticism and defensive acumen without the ball.
The Wolves, meanwhile, secured the most important of victories over Sydney United 58, coming back from a two-goal deficit at halftime to emerge with a 3-2 win.
The victory saw the Wolves move seven points off finals, halting United 58’s progress in the sixth and final qualification position.
However, St George will present a stern test, with the home side for this match currently level on points with United 58 and searching for a way into the top six.
This will be an intense, exhilarating fixture, as the two sides battle strongly for their finals place.
Sydney United 58 FC vs Sydney Olympic FC
3:00pm, Sunday 9 June, Sydney United Sports Centre
Old foes Sydney United 58 and Sydney Olympic FC will face off in a highly exciting match at Sydney United Sports Centre.
United 58 will be requiring a win in this clash to retain their spot in the top six, with St George hot on their tail and Wollongong now looking to build ground towards them.
Olympic, down in 11th place, will be looking to spoil the party and try regain form, with the away side for this match winning just one of their last five games, losing the remaining four.
The last time these two sides faced – back in round three – Olympic earned a stunning 6-0 victory at home, and will be looking for a similar path to kickstart what has been a disappointing campaign so far.
Rockdale Illinden FC vs Western Sydney Wanderers FC
3:00pm, Sunday 9 June, Rockdale Illinden Sports Centre
Rockdale Illinden and Western Sydney Wanderers will highlight the weekend in a thrilling first vs third clash at Rockdale Illinden Sports Centre on Sunday afternoon.
With Rockdale’s last match washed out, they currently have a game in hand over the Western Sydney Wanderers, who are one point behind in third.
The Wanderers picked up a vital Round 17 victory over Hills United in their last match to return to winning ways, which was particularly impressive considering the fact that they played a man down from the 30th minute onwards.
However, as a result of the send-off, the Wanderers will be without Aydan Hammond, who will be sorely missed in this critical fixture.
With a win, the Wanderers could leapfrog Rockdale on the ladder (although the home side possesses a game in hand), whilst Rockdale could extend the gap between Western Sydney and the top of a ladder with a victory here.
This match will epitomise the beauty of the NPL Men’s NSW competition, with fantastic, intense football and individual brilliance set to play out to a fantastic atmosphere at Rockdale Illinden Sports Centre.
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2024 Golden Boot Tally
16 – Alec Urosevski (Rockdale Illinden)
15 – Jak O’Brien (Blacktown City)
13 – Ben Gibson (APIA Leichhardt)
13 – Nathanael Blair (Western Sydney Wanderers)
10 – Luka Symth (Central Coast Mariners)
10 – Roy O’Donovan (Sydney Olympic)
10 – Takumi Ofuka (Wollongong Wolves)
9 – Marko Jesic (Marconi Stallions)
8 – Adam Bugarija (Western Sydney Wanderers)
8 – Patrick Antelmi (Sydney United 58)
By Jack George (@JackGeorge0004)
