As we head into round 11 of the Bankstown Umbro Premier League competition, the top five is beginning to drift away from the rest of the competition as three points looks vital for all teams this weekend.
Our Match of the Round sees Padstow Hornets return from two weeks off to take on the form team of the competition Central Sydney Wolves.
Earlier, Bass Hill Rangers come off their first point of the season to host Panania Diggers at Padstow Park, while Yagoona Lions will look to keep up with the teams at the top as Revesby Workers visit.
Bankstown Sports Strikers look to retain top spot against a determined Padstow United.
Georges River Thistle have a bye this round.
Match of the Round: Padstow Hornets vs Central Sydney Wolves, 27th May 4pm @ Playford Park Field 2
Previous Score: Central Sydney Wolves 1-1 Padstow Hornets – Rd 5, 2023
Padstow Hornets come off two weekends off as they clash with Central Sydney Wolves who are on a three-game win streak and looking to extended it to four wins in a row.
When these two sides met in round one, Padstow Hornets went down to ten men and held off a late surging Central Sydney Wolves as both sides settled for a draw.
Padstow Hornets have only won one of their past five games which has seen them drop down out of the top five spots.
A win for Padstow Hornets in this match will prove crucial for Padstow Hornets as they look to push back up the ladder toward the business end of the competition.
Although sitting in sixth place, Padstow Hornets still boast the best defence in the competition as they have only conceded twelve goals so far this season.
Padstow Hornets will be looking to create more chances in front of goal which they have struggled to do this season. Their key forwards in Mike Cklamovski and Neil Philippou will be vital in this match if the Hornets are to start scoring more goals this season.
Padstow Hornets have proven in recent years that they are a winning side, and they will be confident that they can start to turn their season around in the second half of the competition starting with a win against one of the inform sides in Central Sydney Wolves this weekend.
Central Sydney Wolves have won their past three games including two wins against teams above them on the competition ladder as they look for a vital three points against a strong opposition in Padstow Hornets.
Spirits are very high in this Wolves side after they scored two goals in the finals 20 minutes against Panania Diggers in round ten to overcome a 2-1 deficit and win the game 3-2.
Wolves Kallie Bangura has had an act for scoring vital goals for the Wolves this season as he scored the winner against Panania Diggers in round ten, as well as the equaliser against Padstow Hornets in round five as he looks likely to be important for his side to help propel them to victory in this match.
Central Sydney Wolves run of form has come down to their ability to find the back of the net, having netted twelve goals in their past three games.
With the Hornets desperate for a winning performance this weekend, facing a Wolves side hitting their best form of the season so far, this clash could have big ramifications on the final standings and team’s positions moving forward.
Bass Hill Rangers vs Panania Diggers, 26th May 8:30pm @ Padstow Park
Previous Meeting: Panania Diggers 3-1 Bass Hill Rangers – Rd 6, 2023
Bass Hill Rangers are looking to continue some positive momentum after earning their first point of the season as they take on Panania Diggers who are in a four-way battle at the top of the table.
These sides met in round six this season with Joshua Adams scoring a brace to help his Panania side to a 3-1 victory against Bass Hill.
Bass Hill have struggled to find form this season, however they looked to be the better side against Revesby Workers in their 1-1 draw in round ten which will give them confidence moving forward.
Despite sitting 9th, their players understand the system they are playing now; they have an identity and confidence in playing, they just need to take their chances if they hope to turn draws into victories.
Bass Hill have managed to be competitive in most of their games this season due to a structured midfield and defence.
However, Bass Hill are desperate for one of their players to step up this season and become a consistent goal scorer if they are to start to get results this season.
If Bass Hill can remain disciplined in defence and be more confident going forward, they could pick up a victory which could move them off the bottom of the ladder.
Despite only winning one of their past three games in the competition, Panania still sit in second spot due to their strong start to the season.
Panania have conceded eight goals in their past three matches which has contributed to their recent drop of form. They will be looking to their key defenders in Douglas Nabaki and Joshua Bull to reduce the amount of attacking chances their opposition are making if they are to get a result this weekend.
Panania are still one of the most consistent teams in the competition and will be confident they can put on a strong performance as they look to get back to the top of the ladder.
With plenty at stake for Panania, look for them to try to be at their ruthless best, while Bass Hill Rangers will hope to continue their hard work and efforts in search of ladder-changing victory.
Yagoona Lions vs Revesby Workers, 27th May 4pm @ O’Neill Park
Previous Meeting: Revesby Workers 2-3 Yagoona Lions – Rd 1, 2023
Yagoona Lions are coming off back-to-back wins against the 2022 grand finalists as they take on Revesby Workers who face a tough challenge after being unbeaten in their last two matches.
The last time these two sides met was in round one this season where Jamie Bazevski scored two goals in the second half to lead his Yagoona side to a 3-2 victory.
Yagoona showed a lot of determination and spirit in their 4-3 victory over the Strikers last week having scored three goals in the final 15 minutes to come back from a 2-1 deficit.
Jamie Bazevski continues to dominate the goal scoring charts for Yagoona Lions having netted a brace in their previous three matches; he will look to be firing in front of goal in this match to help his side to their third straight victory.
Defence will be key for Yagoona once again this week as they are still in search for their first clean sheet of the season.
With a quick start, potentially through their main man in attack Jamie Bazevski, they could disrupt the visitors and be on their way to another victory.
Revesby Workers come into this game off a two-game unbeaten run as they look to continue their positive momentum into this fixture.
Revesby Workers defence has struggled to keep goals out of their net all season, however, over their last two games they have only conceded one goal which will give them a boost in confidence when defending their own goal.
Revesby Workers number 10, Bojan Hadzic has been a standout for his side in recent weeks having netted three goals in their past three games; look for him to get on the end of passes from his teammates in a pacey attack to capitalise on any Yagoona mistakes.
They will hope for another spirited team performance which could carry them to a second win in three matches and potentially take them closer to the rest of the competition on the ladder.
Victory for Yagoona would put pressure on Panania and the Strikers, while a win could help Revesby continue their positive form in the competition; the outcome could shape the table in a strong way.
Padstow United vs Bankstown Sports Strikers, 27th May 4pm @ Playford Park Field 1
Previous Meeting: Bankstown Sports Strikers 1-1 Padstow United – Rd 5, 2023
Padstow United lost their third match in a row in a 3-1 loss to Georges River Thistle, while Bankstown Sports Strikers four-match winning run ended abruptly last week in a 4-3 away loss to Yagoona Lions.
In the two sides’ earlier encounter in the season, Padstow United defended well in game where both sides had to share the spoils.
Rafa Coutinho was missed in their loss last weekend to Thistle as he leads the goal scoring charts for Padstow United this season which includes his goal against Bankstown Sports Strikers in Round five.
He will look to be a threat on a quick counterattack in this match as he links up with his partner up front in John Martinez.
Padstow United were able to hold Bankstown Sports Strikers to one goal in their previous encounter in a season where they have conceded goals week on week.
The most important thing for Padstow United to do is fight for the one-percenters in the match and remain vigilant in defence; if they can do that, they give themselves a chance of a result from the match.
1st placed Bankstown Sports Strikers lost their first match in their last six fixtures after Yagoona Lions cam back from behind twice to defeat them 4-3.
Strikers had been flying before their shock loss to Yagoona in round ten, however, they will be disappointed having conceded seven goals in their past three matches and coach Ali Hassan will be looking for improved defensive performance as they take on the best attacking side in the competition so far.
Cameron Campisi has been Bankstown Sports Strikers from player of late having netted seven goals in their past five matches as he will look to be a constant threat once again in this match.
With refreshed minds and a willingness to go again, expect nothing less than a strong reaction from Bankstown Sports Strikers this week as they look to retain 1st spot with the three points this weekend.
With Padstow United in desperate need of three points as they look to keep their finals hopes alive, while Strikers top spot is on the line with the three teams below them breathing down their neck, expect a lot of goals the two best attacking sides in the competition go head-to-head.
