Round 21 Preview – NPL Men’s NSW

Round 21 of the NPL Men’s NSW competition promises to excite once more, with all to play for at both ends of the table.

Manly United FC vs St George City FA

7:30pm, Friday 27 June, Cromer Park

Manly United will open Round 21’s action with an exciting fixture against St George City at Cromer Park.

The home side for this match have suffered from a poor recent run of results in the league, backing up a 6-0 loss to Sydney FC with a disappointing defeat to Mt Druitt.

Now nine points of finals, their season could hang in the balance this week, as they look to remain in the race for the top six with the teams above them slipping away.

They will face a tough test against St George City, who will go into this match with motivation of their own, looking to leapfrog their opponents and move up into the top 10.

Western Sydney Wanderers FC vs Wollongong Wolves FC

3:00pm, Saturday 28 June, Wanderers Football Park

Now just one point off the bottom two, the Western Sydney Wanderers will be requiring a strong performance against Wollongong Wolves on Saturday afternoon to escape falling into the relegation zone.

The Wanderers have picked up one win in their previous five fixtures, but have lost each of their last three, lacking form coming into this intriguing encounter.

Wollongong, like their opponents, have one win, one draw and three defeats from their most recent five, sitting 11th on the ladder.

They are comfortably clear of the relegation zone, but are quickly falling out of the race of finals, and will need a statement victory this weekend to remain in the hunt for the top six.

Sydney Olympic FC vs Blacktown City FC

5:00pm, Saturday 28 June, Jubilee Stadium

Sydney Olympic will take on Blacktown City in a Saturday evening clash of titans, with the home side looking to continue their form and move closer into the top-six.

After struggling for consistency all season, Olympic have emerged as one of the most in-form sides in the league with four wins and one draw from their last five games, with their most recent victory coming impressively against the Marconi Stallions.

Now just four points off a finals spot, they will be looking to strike down a currently finals-bound side who are seven points ahead.

This match will feature an abundance of quality – namely the likes of Dylan Ruiz-Diaz, Cyrus Dehmie, Jak O’Brien and Mitch Mallia – and is a must-watch either at Jubilee Stadium, or live on Football NSW’s YouTube channel.

St George FC vs APIA Leichhardt FC

7:00pm, Saturday 28 June, Barton Park

St George FC will conclude Saturday’s fixtures when hosting APIA Leichhardt at Barton Park at 7pm.

The home side for this match has suffered just one loss in their last five games, but are coming off the back of two draws, with their last a 1-1 with Sutherland Sharks.

They will be looking to dethrone an in-form APIA side in their bid to push for a finals position, but will face a tough task, with their opponents winning four of their last five games.

With a strong 6-2 victory over Sydney FC as their last result, APIA will come into this match with plenty of motivation to keep their winning run going and continue to put pressure on the three teams above them.

Central Coast Mariners FC vs Mt Druitt Town Rangers FC

3:00pm, Sunday 29 June, Pluim Park

In a major relegation clash, the Central Coast Mariners will take on Mt Druitt Town Rangers on Sunday afternoon at Pluim Park.

Currently the bottom-two on the ladder, Mt Druitt and the Mariners are separated by two points, meaning a win for the home side would push them clear from the singular automatic relegation place in the NPL Men’s NSW competition.

Meanwhile, a win from Mt Druitt would not only take them five points away from that place, but possibly also move them away from the relegation-playoff place, with the Wanderers just one point ahead.

That, too, is mathematically possible for the Mariners, but they will need the Wanderers to lose by a considerable margin, or for them to beat Mt Druitt comfortably to move to third-bottom.

Nevertheless, with the sides picking up just 22 points combined this season, one side picking up a win this weekend has the chance to be season-defining, making this a must-watch game at Pluim Park.

Rockdale Ilinden FC vs Sutherland Sharks FC

3:00pm, Sunday 29 June, Rockdale Ilinden Sports Centre

League leaders Rockdale Ilinden will be looking to continue their sensational form when taking on Sutherland Sharks on Sunday afternoon.

Rockdale have won their last six league matches in a row, and astonishingly haven’t lost in the league since Round Eight.

After moving three points clear of Marconi Stalions with a victory over Wollongong Wolves last weekend – featuring a brace from Moudi Najjar and a goal from Ali Auglah – they will be looking to maintain or extend that gap as they chase down their second successive Premiership.

Sutherland Sharks come into this feature after picking up a draw against St George, and with them just four points off the bottom-two, they will be looking to pick up a shock result against the most in-form side in the league.

Marconi Stallions FC vs Sydney FC

3:00pm, Sunday 29 June, Marconi Stadium

Marconi Stallions will be aiming to find their first win in three games when facing off against Sydney FC in another Sunday afternoon encounter.

The reigning Champions have slipped down to second on the ladder, three points off Rockdale after dropping points again in Round 20, experiencing a 2-0 defeat to Sydney Olympic.

With NWS Spirit just three points behind, they risk falling another place if they are defeated this weekend, making this a crucial encounter in the race for the Premiership.

Meanwhile, Sydney FC will be aiming to rebound after their loss to APIA Leichhardt last weekend, and keep themselves in the race for the top-six, with the Sky Blues six points off a finals place.

It promises to be a game of quality, exciting football at Marconi Stadium, as both sides look to compete to achieve their respective goals for 2025.

Sydney United 58 FC vs NWS Spirit FC

3:00pm, Sunday 29 June, Sydney United Sports Centre

With a Waratah Cup final to play next weekend, Sydney United 58 will be looking to prepare in the perfect way by beating third-placed NWS Spirit in an exhilarating top-six clash.

After their loss to the Mariners last weekend, United 58 slipped back down to sixth on the ladder, where they are still four points clear of seventh place.

Seven points up the ladder, Spirit find themselves in the Premiership race, where they are six points off Rockdale and three behind Marconi.

For United 58, a win would mean another comfortable week in the top-six, with the potential of moving up the ladder, and taking points off a fellow rival.

For Spirit, it would keep them in the Premiership clash, and act as another step in confirming their finals status for 2025.

It promises to be a thrilling encounter, with all to play for at Sydney United Sports Centre in one of four Sunday 3pm matches.