Round 10 of the PlayStation®4 NPL NSW Men’s competition has arrived and the question is how long will Blacktown City FC go without a loss.
Mark Crittenden’s side sit on the top of the competition after nine rounds but the chasing pack is hot on their tail.
APIA Leichhardt Tigers will attempt to end Blacktown’s near flawless start to the season when they host the league leaders in this week’s Match of the Round at Lambert Park on Sunday.
Sutherland Sharks take on Parramatta FC in what promises to be an epic encounter between two clubs thirsty for the 3 precious points which will be live streamed on the NPL New South Wales Facebook Page at 6:30pm.
APIA Leichhardt Tigers FC v Blacktown City FC, 4.45pm Sunday at Lambert Park
A frustrating 4-2 defeat at the hands of Manly United FC last round consigned Danial Cummins side to their second loss of the season.
It doesn’t get any easier in Round 10 as APIA Leichhardt FC host top of the table side Blacktown City FC.
Nothing less than a 90-minute performance will be enough for APIA to overcome a high-flying Blacktown team which remain the only undefeated team in the competition.
Matthew West has provided APIA with plenty of firepower off the bench with three goals in his past four games. Combined with young striker Jordan Murray and Tatsuku Sekiya.
With the home crowd support behind them as well as new-recruit and former Central Coast Mariners Ivan Necevski, APIA will be out to show why they shouldn’t be written off as a premiership contender.
Sutherland Sharks v Parramatta FC, 6.30pm Saturday at Seymour Shaw
With a new coach at the helm, Sutherland Sharks are determined to get their season back on track.
Experienced coach Grant Lee went close to snatching a draw against Sydney FC despite being 3-1 down. Lee said post-match he was proud of the heart shown by his players and believes this is what can lead them to a strong second half of the season.
This week they face another team languishing towards the bottom half of the Table in Parramatta FC. Franco Cosentino’s side have experienced many of the same struggles Sutherland have faced this season and will be as desperate for the three points on offer.
Tomohiro Kajiyama will be one of the key pieces for Sutherland with the dynamic midfielder a constant box to box presence.
A win for either team will be a huge morale booster going into the second half of the season.
Bonnyrigg White Eagles FC v Sydney FC, 7pm Saturday at Bonnyrigg Sports Centre
Off the back of their first win of the season, Brian Brown’s Bonnyrigg White Eagles are fired up to get their season back on track.
The 3-0 win on the road against Wollongong Wolves was a long time coming for Bonnyrigg after a horror eight week stretch without a win.
However, back-to-back wins won’t be easy with Sydney FC’s fast developing team posing a real threat.
Hassan Jalloh has been a revelation for Bonnyrigg this season despite their poor results. The teenager will once again be one of the White Eagles primary attacking threats on Saturday.
Hakoah Sydney City East FC v Sydney Olympic FC, 3pm Sunday at Hensley Athletic Field
Hakoah Sydney City East FC have gone under the radar this season and sit on the edge of the top five at the mid-point of the season.
A 3-0 win against Parramatta away from home last round was yet another strong display from the Eastern Suburbs side in what is their Sophomore season.
This week Gavin Rae’s side will have a chance to potentially break into the playoff spots on the ladder as the take on Sydney Olympic FC.
Hakoah’s shown this season they have what it takes to challenge the big sides of the competition and have notched wins against Sydney United 58 and frustrated Blacktown City into a 1-1 draw.
Olympic cannot let their guard down against competition dark horse Hakoah.
Wollongong Wolves FC v Rockdale City Suns, 3pm Sunday at WIN Stadium
This week’s clash agains Rockdale City Suns could prove to be a make or break fixture for Wollongong Wolves.
The Wolves host Rockdale at Win Stadium needing three points to stay in touch with the top five and rebuild the squad’s confidence after a horror fortnight for the club.
Last week’s 3-0 loss to the previously winless Bonnyrigg White Eagles would’ve been a hard pill to swallow for Jacob Timpano’s outfit.
Rockdale come into this match also looking to bounce back from a demoralising defeat after they lost their first game of the season in a 3-0 defeat to Blacktown City.
Paul Reid’s suns outfit are one of the premiership favourites and victory for Wollongong could be the morale booster the South Coast side needs to push for the playoffs during the second half of the season.
Sydney United 58 v Manly United FC, 4pm Sunday at Sydney United Sports Centre
Sydney United 58 FC have gone from strength to strength since the return of coach Mark Rudan.
The Edensor Park side has managed an incredible turnaround to notch six straight wins since Rudan replaced Davor Bajsic in the coaches chair and they are looking to stretch that run this week when they host Manly United FC.
Manly has been one of the best attacking teams in the competition lead by wingers Scott Balderson and Dejan Pandurevic as well as captan Brendan Cholakian and veteran striker Dylan Macallister.
Like clockwork, Panny Nikas has been the man to watch at United 58. The mercurial midfielder has led from the front this season and his form is as good as it has ever been.
This clash has all the potential for goals galore and should be one for the fans.