Round 6 brought us another change of leadership in the Illawarra Mercury Premier League, as Bulli and Tarrawanna both dropped points, allowing Kemblawarra Fury through to take top spot by two clear points going into Round 7.

Newly-promoted Picton Rangers continue to be the surprise package in this seasons’s IPL. Last week’s win at the WIN Stadium took them up to fourth.

We have now seen 130 goals in the first six rounds of the IPL this season, which averages out at about four goals a game: that’s great entertainment, whichever side you’re on. Last week saw only the second 0-0 draw of the season, with both of those matches looking on paper as if they were ‘guaranteed goals’, possibly the last time this season I’ll be making that kind of prediction in this weekly preview.

Match of the round

Wollongong United v Bulli FC @ Macedonia Park – kick-off 2.30pm, Saturday 7 May

Ties between these two talented teams at the top of the Premier League are usually great entertainment for the neutral. United won the corresponding fixture in 2015, with Karouna Michael and Matt Floro on the scoresheet. Those two have both been knocking them in for United again this term, so Bulli will need to be on their guard here, even though their defence remains the most solid in the IPL, with only five goals conceded in six games so far.

Ben McDonald might still be Bulli’s main target man up front, but Dylan Lewis’s goal last week against South Coast United took his tally for 2016 to five, one more than McDonald.

Wollongong United’s defence has been a bit more porous than usual this season, letting in nine goals in their first six matches. Contrast this with the mere two goals United conceded in the last six games of the 2015 regular season, and there is some cause for concern.

I’m tempted to predict a three-pointer for Bulli on the back of this season’s form so far, but United’s players tend to lift their game for the big occasion, even when it happens in Round 7 of the regular season. So I’m going to go for a draw this time between two sides that will surely be in the Finals berths come September.

Other games on Saturday 7 May

Picton Rangers v Woonona FC @ Hume Oval - kick-off 2.30pm

It’s extraordinary how both winning and losing can become a habit.

Some are comparing Picton’s performance this season to Leicester City’s in the English Premier League. It’s early days yet, and we’ll see where they are come the season end in September, but the main similarity so far is that they keep on winning as underdogs.

The Sharks on the other hand are struggling. After a promising pre-season and comfortable win on the opening day of the IPL season, they have now lost five matches on the bounce and gone out of the FFA Cup early on.

Given Woonona’s woeful start to the season, for once this weekend Picton probably won’t go into this tie as underdogs. They may not be matching last season’s unbeaten run at home at Hume Oval in the District League, but Picton have beaten Wollongong United in between defeats to high-flying Bulli and Tarrawanna.

The big plus for the home side is how many names from last season’s squad are adapting well enough to the Premier League level and getting their names on the scoresheet: goals are coming from across the park.

Heads have dropped at Woonona, who desperately need some points to get their season back on track. As the English Premier League has found in 2015-16, though, once a small juggernaut gets into gear, it can still be a hard machine to stop. All the pointers are towards a home win for Picton here.

Shell Cove FC v Kemblawarra Fury @ Barrack Heights – kick-off 2.30pm

Paul Carter’s Shell Cove team is a very different beast from the one that was slaughtered 9-0 at home to the Fury’s previous incarnation in 2015. Robbie Shields and Fabian Iacovelli got five goals between them that day last year, and both have shown they have lost none of their appetite in 2016. Even more worrying for Shell Cove is that the Fury also now have Matthew McNab up front; his seven goal haul from six matches makes him the IPL’s top scorer going into this tie.

Only goal difference separates Shell Cove from a top five slot, and they have won their last two matches, although both were against teams below them in the ladder. So they’ll also be feeling positive going into this tie. But a Fury side that has won five in a row is going to be very hard to beat, so I’m going with three points for the ladder leaders in this one.

It will be interesting to see how Shell Cove’s talented newcomers like Daniel Vellonio, Jordan Hassiem and Kurdvan Abduljabbar shape up against some of the IPL’s best. And with injuries causing a few changes in the Fury back line, who knows what openings those Shell Cove youngsters might find.

 

Wollongong Olympic v Albion Park White Eagles @ PCYC, Wollongong – kick-off 2.30pm

Inconsistent results have left both these sides in mid-table after six rounds, when many were predicting great things for both of them based on pre-season performances.

Olympic have the talent to turn on the style if the two front boys Yusuke Ueda and Wandi Jajaw get into gear; and the passion to fashion a result if captain Brendan Fordham’s energy becomes contagious. But on some match days, they can also look ineffective and never look likely to score.

For this match, a lot depends on which Olympic team turns up on the day.

The White Eagles have looked impressive even in defeat, and their two losses this season have been to the IPL’s top two teams. In Shohei Okuno, they have one of the IPL’s greatest talents, who can win a game almost single-handedly, but also creates as many goals as he scores. He came off injured last week and if he doesn't play, this would be a huge setback for the Eagles. 

If Olympic are on song this weekend, I can see this match being honours even. But if the White Eagles catch them on another off day, it’s surely Albion Park’s three points.

 

Sunday 8 May

Port Kembla v Tarrawanna Blueys @ Wetherall Park – kick-off 2.30pm

This is one of the most intriguing ties of the weekend, with two of the most experienced coaches in the IPL on opposing benches. Stuart Beedie played at the highest level in Scotland in the 1980s, and has coached his Port Kembla side to Grand Final victory in the past. Peter Willis, meanwhile, began rubbing shoulders with the footballing world’s best back in the 1970s at Leeds United, and has used his coaching experience at the Wollongong Wolves to give the Blueys a great start to the 2016 IPL season.

Port Kembla had only scored one goal in four matches before thrashing South Coast in Round 5, with youth striker Sandy Lowcock emerging into the IPL limelight that day with four goals. He was kept in the side for last week’s narrow defeat to Wollongong United, and although he didn’t score this time, his partnership with Joe Lavalle and Takao Teramoto up front will be the test for Tarrawanna.

The Blueys’ 2016 goal fest was brought to a sudden halt with the goalless draw last time out, but they are still equal top scorers in the IPL after six rounds. Darren Stone and Rick Goodchild have five goals apiece, but Port will also have to keep an eye on Sam Isabella and Matt Mazevski going forward.

This is a hard one to predict, so I’m going to sit firmly on the fence and call it a draw.

South Coast United v Cringila Lions @ Ian McLellan Park – kick-off 3.00pm

Two weeks ago, I would have called this a pretty definite away win, but it’s amazing how fast momentum can shift, and with it a team’s morale.

One result doesn’t turn a season round, and South Coast remain rooted to the foot of the IPL ladder, but to pick up a point at the then IPL leaders Bulli last week was a massive achievement for acting coach Greg Valic. And the best news of all for him is that last season’s top scorer Liam Unicomb has got his shooting boots back on, with two goals in two weeks now.

Cringila have looked stylish this season and put in some good performances in Rounds 2 to 4, with Mikal Awad and Esali Ali looking especially exciting to watch, with Joel Craig and mainstay Daniel Atkins also useful. But they’ve gone off the boil rather in the last two matches, letting in nine goals in defeats to Picton and Shell Cove. Craig’s red card last week means he’ll miss this one, which can’t help the Lions’ hearts.

This game has Draw written all over it, though I wouldn’t put it past Unicomb to nick a winner in the last minute.

By Simon Duffin

Photo: Pedro Garcia