Round 2 Preview

After last week’s false start to the Illawarra Mercury Premier League season, we are all hoping Thursday’s rain does not prevent more football action across the grounds this weekend. For most clubs Round 2 has effectively become Round 1, with just Cringila Lions and Wollongong Olympic managing to rearrange their Round 1 match for this week, so they are the only clubs who have kicked a competitive ball in the IPL before Round 2.

This weekend might not appear to have the headline-grabbing fixtures Round 1 had on paper, but there are some interesting battles, including one pitching two teams who made last season’s Finals head to head; and another meaning an early meet-up between two sides that are hoping for Finals football on 2017.

Match of the round

Port Kembla FC v Wollongong United FC @ Wetherall Park – kick-off 2.30pm, Sunday 2 April

Both clubs have high hopes of making a Top Five finish in 2017 after a relatively disappointing season last year, so this fixture coming so early in the campaign will provide a gauge of where the two squads are as we go into six hectic months of football.

It was honours even when the two sides met in 2016 both teams winning at home. Port had to come from behind to beat United at Wetherall Park last year, with Doug Woodiwiss hitting a winner late on. He still features in a much-changed Port line-up under new coach Noel Spencer. It will be interesting to see how the ex-Wolves trio of Ben Zucco, Blake McGinn and Justin Ivanovic will fit into Spencer’s thinking. And Woodiwiss seems to be forming a good strike partnership this year with Port’s top scorer from 2016, Sandy Lowcock.

Karouna Michael and Matt Floro scored United’s goals when these two met in 2016, and they still feature in Oliver Vrtkovski’s plans for 2017. Daisuke Yuzawa marked his return to United with four goals in the FFA Cup win last week.

This is a match of contrasting styles, though: Port used their pace to dominate possession against Corrimal in the pre-season cup. But Vrtkovski likes his teams to play possession football too, and United are renowned for their patient build-up to scoring opportunities. The game could go either way, so I’m going to sit on the fence for this one and call it a draw.

Saturday 1 April

Picton Rangers v Albion Park White Eagles @ Hume Oval kick-off 2.30pm

There was not a lot to choose between these two over the course of the 2016 IPL season, the White Eagles finishing third and Picton fifth in the ladder. Last season’s Finals series revealed the gap, though, with the Rangers falling at the first hurdle, while Albion Park went on to pick up the Grand Final honours for 2016.

In the equivalent fixture last season, the White Eagles had to come back from 2-0 down to snatch a draw at Hume Oval. George Naylor Medal winner Shohei Okuno grabbed a late equaliser that day and the Japanese star is already back in the goals this season, picking up a hat-trick in last weekend’s FFA Cup win. He’s the one Picton need to pick up wherever he is on the field, as he can create chances from any position.

Last week’s wash-out robbed us of a chance to see how Okuno connects with the White Eagles’ new Japanese signings, Hikawu Kawasakiya and Tashiro Yosuke. Let’s see how they do this weekend.

The Picton squad is largely unchanged from the side that did so well in 2016. Dayne Morley and Conor Dymond scored in that 2-2 draw in the equivalent fixture and both may well feature again this weekend.

This is another tie that will give big hints as to where the two squads are going into the new season. I fancy the White Eagles have progressed more since the end of the 2016 campaign and pick them to take the three points this time.

 

Woonona FC v Bulli FC @ Ocean Park – kick-off 2.30pm

If past form is anything to go by, this is surely a banker three points for Bulli. In last season’s equivalent tie, there was a second half goal fest as Bulli scored four and the Sharks just one consolation goal late on. That followed a goalless first half, which was exactly the scenario last weekend when Bulli played their FFA Cup tie up in Sydney, but came out 5-0 winners in the end.

Ben McDonald will always be a threat in front of goal, as will Guy Knight from set-pieces and corners for Bulli. They both scored in that win last season, so Woonona know about them already. But if ex-Sutherland Sharks under-18 Harry Callahan gets a game, that will be a new test for the Woonona Sharks.

Geoff Foster’s side would probably have liked an easier start to their IPL campaign than a battle against one of the favourites for honours this season. New boys up front Daniel Atkins and Luke McCosker both scored in the pre-season Fraternity Cup and will be hoping to test the Bulli defence.

So the scoreline might be goalless at half time, but I expect Bulli to pull through for the three points in this one.

 

Tarrawanna Blueys v South Coast United @ Tarrawanna Oval – kick-off 2.30pm

The Blueys put seven past United over the two fixtures between these sides in 2016 and South Coast didn’t manage any in reply. Things have not got better for United since then, with the departure of ten players over the summer break.

Rick Goodchild scored three of those seven goals in 2016 and his midfield partnership with Darren Stone will still be key in Peter Willis’s side this term.

But the Blueys squad is also full of new names: Sam Rose (ex-Wolves), Caleb Russell (ex-Woonona), Matt Naylor and Jared Fish (ex-Bulli), not to mention Japanese recruit Woo Oh.

That will make Greg Valic’s task even harder as he tries to steer the United ship out of port for the year. Tommy Skara, Ricky Bertakis, Denis Stojic and Steve Dimitrievski will be the familiar names who may join Valic at 2.30pm on Saturday, but there will inevitably be others making their debut at this level, so it will take all of Valic’s guile to pull his squad together and try to force a result at Tarrawanna.

Predictions are never easy this early in the season, but on the evidence of summer moves alone, I need to call this a home win for the Blueys.

 

Wollongong Olympic v Corrimal Rangers @ PCYC, Wollongong – kick-off 2.30pm

For the neutral, this is potentially the most interesting encounter of Round 2. It sees one of last season’s top performing teams in Olympic face up to the new boys at this level, Corrimal Rangers, who have shown already that the IPL holds no secrets for them, as they powered their way to the Fraternity Cup final before being beaten by the weather.

Olympic have the advantage of having played a Round 1 fixture in midweek, and they looked strong across the park on Wednesday night. John Martinoski looked lively, scoring one on Wednesday and making another; new left back Shun Tokuno also looked useful and provided two of the assists for Olympic’s five goals against Cringila.

Corrimal’s top striker Save Treneski will be missing, as he is yet to start his four-match ban for a pre-season red card.

That gives a strong hint that Olympic might come through with the three points, though Corrimal didn’t let playing with ten men put them off looking stronger in their Frat Cup semi-final against Port Kembla.

The Picciolini brothers look just as at ease at this level as they did in the District league, so they will be a threat to Rob Birkin’s side. Olympic are very strong in defence, though, and I fully expect them to pull through by a single goal.

 

Other fixture on Sunday, 2 April

Kemblawarra Fury v Cringila Lions @ Macedonia Park, kick-off 2.30pm

This tie has Home Win written all over it. But the Fury know there is no room for complacency against teams that are more likely to be struggling later in the season.

In the same fixture last season, also in the early rounds of the schedule, the Lions played a blinder and looked to be holding on for a superb draw until a late, late goal for the Fury well into time added on. Later in the season, the Fury demolished Cringila at Crehan Park, but by then Luke Maguire’s side were cruising towards their IPL ladder title, while the Lions were floundering at the basement.

There’s no Robbie Shields in a Fury shirt this year, but Maguire has made his fair share of new signings eager to fill the Irishman’s boots. Ricky Zucco and Liam Unicomb give him options up front alongside Matt McNab. And Shane Murray and Fabian Iacovelli both score almost as many as they create.

But then there is a whole host of new faces to test the Lions’ mettle: Anthony Proia (ex-Blacktown Spartans; Kazuto Kushida from Japan; Steven Wright (ex-Parramatta); Andres Gomez (ex-Sutherland Shark)

Surely three points for the Fury, but it will be interesting to see how Maguire puts together his starting eleven with all these new faces in front of him.

And for the Lions, look out for their new centre forward Milan Atlagic, who was playing at State League 1 level last season. He looked handy against Olympic in midweek and will be a test for the Fury backline if he is back from a knock he picked up in the Round 1 match.

Preview written by Simon Duffin.