Round nine of the Bankstown Umbro Premier League will see a split round in the competition with three fixtures this weekend and one fixture the following weekend.
The Match of the Round sees Bass Hill Rangers continue to search for their first competition points of the season as they take on Central Sydney Wolves at Padstow Park.
Elsewhere, Bankstown Sports Strikers will look to stay top of the competition ladder as Georges River Thistle visit, while Yagoona Lions and Padstow Hornets meet as they sit on equal points separated by goal difference.
Padstow United will look to bounce back from their defeat against Panania Diggers as they play the following weekend.
Revesby Workers have the bye this weekend.
Match of the Round: Bass Hill Rangers vs Central Sydney Wolves – Friday 5th May, 8:30pm @ Padstow Park Previous Meeting: Central Sydney Wolves 3-0 Bass Hill Rangers – Rd 6, 2021
Bass Hill continue to search for their first points of the season as they take on Central Sydney Wolves who look to continue their positive momentum from their round eight win over Yagoona Lions.
This is these two sides first meeting since the 2021 season where Central Sydney Wolves were strong in their 3-0 victory over Bass Hill.
Bass Hill Rangers were unable to convert their best chance of the season to put points on the board in last week’s game against Revesby Workers as they fell 3-0.
Bass Hill will look to make their defence a focus in this week’s fixture after conceding three goals in round eight, however they will need to find confidence in hitting the back of the net.
If someone can stand up for Bass Hill, a moment in this match could shift the momentum as they look to close the gap and escape the bottom of the table.
Central Sydney Wolves are high on confidence and will be hoping to continue their charge up the ladder with another victory this week.
The Wolves sit 6th on the ladder and are one point behind 3rd place making this fixture extremely important if they are to stay towards the top of the competition.
The Wolves have won two of their past three games, scoring 10 goals and conceding 6. They will look to continue their strong form in front of goal whilst being more structured in defence in round 9.
With one team in form and another learning more every week, one moment could shift the outcome of the match as both sides hunt for their own successes.
Bankstown Sports Strikers vs Georges River Thistle – Saturday 6th May, 4pm @ Crest Sporting Complex Previous Meeting: Georges River Thistle 1-4 Bankstown Sports Strikers – Rd 15, 2022
Bankstown Sports Strikers look to hold their spot in 1st position on the competition ladder as they take on Georges River Thistle high on confidence and in need of an important three points.
The last time these two sides met was in Round 15 of 2022 as Bankstown Sports Strikers comfortably beat Thistle 4-1 with their coach Ali Hassan scoring the last goal of the match.
Bankstown Sports Strikers have hit their strides midway through the competition as they have won their last three games straight with all three of their opposition sitting 2nd to 4th on the competition ladder.
If they can get on top in the match early and maintain momentum, it will work in their favour as they have the best defensive record in the competition so far.
2023 signing Cameron Campisi has looked to make his mark on the competition over the past three weeks scoring four goals in their past three matches. He could prove important once again in this match if Bankstown Sports Strikers are to win against a strong side in Georges River Thistle.
Thistle are also one of the form sides in the competition coming into this match with four wins in their past five matches.
Georges River Thistle will hope to continue their push towards the top of the table and will not back down at the prospect of facing the league leaders this week.
Thistle sits in 5th position and equal on points with 3rd and they will be determined for a result in this weekend’s match to prevent dropping away from the top of the pack.
Look for strong defence to be the main priority for both sides as they hope to display their attacking flair.
Yagoona Lions vs Padstow Hornets – Saturday 6th May, 4pm @ O’Neill Park Previous Meeting: Yagoona Lions 1-2 Padstow Hornets – Rd 3, 2022
Yagoona Lions will be desperate for a win after two straight losses as they take on Padstow Hornets with both sides sitting equal on points in 3rd and 4th spot.
The last time these two sides met was in a catch-up game in 2022 as Padstow Hornets won the game with Mike Cklamovski scoring in the 88th minute to grab all three points for his side.
Yagoona Lions were unable to complete a second half comeback against Central Sydney Wolves as they lost the match 4-3 in round 8.
Yagoona Lions have been strong in attack all season as Joshua Briskoski and Jamie Bazevski continue to lead their front line.
Yagoona’s defence will be a focus area for them once again this week as they look to hold Padstow Hornets attack out early and build momentum into the match.
Padstow Hornets sit 3rd on the competition ladder and equal on points with Yagoona Lions meaning a win in this match is crucial for them heading before we head into the second round of the competition.
Padstow Hornets had their first win against Revesby Workers in Round 7 after 3 straight games without a win, so expect them to look to continue their positive momentum into this match.
With a squad filled with players with belief and hard work, as well as a focus on being strong defensively, look for Padstow Hornets to make a real impact in the defensive end again this week.
In the league, a win for either side would push them closer to the top 2 spots and away from the rest of the competition; defence will be vital towards the outcome of this match.
Padstow United vs Panania Diggers- Friday 12th May, 8:30pm @ Padstow Park Previous Meeting: Padstow United 1-0 Panania Diggers – Rd 16, 2022
Padstow United aim to avoid their first back-to-back losses this season as they face Panania Diggers who will be eager for a victory after losing their first match of the season to Bankstown Sports Strikers in Round eight.
The last time these two sides met was in Round 16 of 2022 where John Martinez’s goal in the 27th minute would be the deciding goal in the match and give Padstow United the three points.
Both these sides will have a week off before this fixture meaning they both will look to give 100% intensity for the full ninety minutes when they meet on the 12th of May.
Padstow United continue to prosper in front of goal as they lead to scoring charts in the competition with 26 goals scored in their 7 matches.
Their top goal scorers Rafa Coutinho and Joh Martinez both scored last week in their 3-2 loss to Georges River Thistle; if they can fire again, they could put the pressure on the Diggers.
Defence for Padstow United will be the focus for them in this fixture as they look to hold Panania attack’s out and score on the counter through their two strikers firing in front of goal.
Panania Diggers held first place in the league for several weeks but have fallen to second since losing to Bankstown Sports Strikers; however, they will be hopeful of turning hard work into three points this week.
Panania have conceded 5 goals in their last two matches after a strong defensive start to the season, they will be looking to focus more on their defence this week to get back to the same form they had at the start of the season.
Panania will look to dominate possession early in this match and build momentum throughout the match to ensure they get a vital three points.
A win for Padstow United could move them to 4th on the ladder, while a win for Panania Diggers could push them to 1st; it promises to be an exciting matchup where both sides will look to push on into the season.
