Round 7 Preview

With another full round of matches completed last weekend and more catch-ups played in the week, the IPL is now just three matches behind schedule going into Round 7. It’s three Picton Rangers home games which still need to be played, giving Picton some hope of hauling themselves off the bottom of the ladder, except that all three games are against teams that are likely to be challenging for Finals football at the end of the season. With more FFA Cup action in the week following Round 7, those catch-ups won’t be happening for a little while yet, though.

Round 7 has some juicy ties on the menu, starting on Friday night and running through to Sunday afternoon.

Match of the round

Wollongong Olympic v Albion Park White Eagles @ PCYC, North Wollongong – kick-off 2.30pm, Saturday 6 May

My match of the round this week sees one of the 2017 frontrunners take on last season’s Champions.

The White Eagles returned to winning form last weekend after a shaky run of results so they will be looking to get back in the leaders’ mix by upsetting an Olympic side who had their first slip up of the season last weekend at Tarrawanna.

Albion Park’s defence will need no reminder of Olympic’s main strike threat, as Yusuke Ueda hit a hat-trick in Olympic’s impressive 5-1 win in this same fixture last season. Shohei Okuno remains the man to watch in the White Eagles line-up, but coach Jeff Allport will take heart from the range of names appearing on the Albion Park scoresheet in 2017.

This tie could go either way but I fancy Olympic to bounce back from last week’s loss to take the three points, probably by a one goal margin this time, though.

Friday 5 May

Cringila Lions v Picton Rangers @ Crehan Park – kick-off 8.00pm

Picton did the double over Cringila and won this fixture 4-1 last season. Jarred Morley, Mitch Hall, Connor Dymond and Chris Sheerin scored the goals that day for the Rangers, and they all still feature in Brett Morley’s squad this year, but it’s a squad that just hasn’t got going yet, not helped by so many washed out games in March.

With no points on the board from 3 matches played so far, Picton will be desperate for some sort of a result at Crehan Park on Friday.

The Lions are performing well under Wally Savor, though, with two wins already and a creditable 1-0 defeat last weekend away to Wollongong United. They were no match for the Fury in midweek, going down 5-1 in their catch-up fixture.

Picton will need to keep an eye on the Japanese trio of Takao Teramoto, Sho Katayama and Shin Ichi Takeuchi, but also Milan Atlagic, who has added height and strength to the Lions up front.

Prediction: home win by a single goal.

Other games on Saturday 6 May

Bulli FC v South Coast United @ Balls Paddock kick-off 2.30pm

Bulli opened up a three point lead at the top of the ladder going into Round 7, but they take on a confident-looking South Coast outfit who sit in sixth after a solid start to 2017.

Both matches between these ended 2-2 last season, with the point earned in this fixture kick-starting South Coast’s season, after a horrendous start.

With all the new faces at United this year – Moto Kinjo a key signing alongside the youthful Jason Pappas and Josh Brookes – it’s worth noting that it is familiar faces like Tommy Skara and Ricky Bertakis who are scoring or creating most of their side’s goals so far.

United coach Greg Valic leads from the back line in his defence, but he could have a busy time of it against the likes of Ben McDonald, Dylan Lewis and the new boy who just can’t stop scoring this year: Joel Beattie.

I think the Bulli steamroller will push on in this one and I’m going for a home win by two goals here.

Woonona FC v Port Kembla @ Ocean Park - kick-off 2.30pm

Both matches between these two ended in draws in 2016, with Cameron Banks scoring for Woonona in both fixtures. He was missing for last weekend’s 0-4 defeat to the Fury, so Sharks coach Geoff Foster would certainly like to have him back in the mix for this tie.

Woonona play some attractive football, but have just been missing that sharpness in the final third, and I think they’ll need to take every chance they get against a Port side which is hoping for a top five finish, but has struggled so far to string a good run of results together.

Both sides might see this as an opportunity, for the Sharks to pull away from the bottom of the ladder, and for Port to push on towards the top five.

Some of Port’s new names are starting to appear more regularly on the scoresheet now, Kody Maude getting his second of the season last week. But it’s Sandy Lowcock who has slipped easily into the main centre forward role, especially with Chris Smith now out for the foreseeable future.

Woonona may hang on for a draw here, but I think Port might just travel back down the coast with the three points, by a single goal.

Sunday 7 May 

Corrimal Rangers v Wollongong United @ Memorial Park – kick-off 2.00pm

Save Treneski is back to partner Mark Picciolini up front for Corrimal but his absence for four matches, along with other suspensions have sorely tested the newly-promoted side, whose season got off to such a flying start with success in the Fraternity Cup but has badly stalled in recent weeks. And there was more disruption this week with the departure of coach John Fleming. Full back Gavin O’Brien takes over for this game, and it could hardly be a tougher tie.

Wollongong United lie fourth in the ladder with a game in hand on the top three. They were run close by a plucky Cringila side last weekend, but Oliver Vrtkovski’s side have looked fluent this season, with Daisuke Yuzawa lethal in front of goal if given half a chance.

The 22 players used by United this season so far give Vrtkovski options in every tie. As well as Yuzawa, I like the look of Mikal Awad in midfield and Taka Noji down the left. But it will be interesting to see what defensive line-up Vrtkovksi selects to counter those two Corrimal goal merchants.

I’m going away win here, but I’m also keen to see how Corrimal bounce back from a tough week.

Kemblawarra Fury v Tarrawanna Blueys @ Macedonia Park – kick-off 1.30pm

This is Match of the Day on Sunday and was a close contender for Match of the Round.

The Fury have been cruising in their last two league fixtures, knocking in nine goals and pocketing six points in a week that has seen them leap back up to second in the ladder.

The Blueys, meanwhile, are keeping the ladder leaders in their sights, and sit in fifth after a hard-fought win against high-flying Olympic last weekend. That win will boost Bluey confidence, especially as this is a team that has a habit of punishing the weaker teams in the league, but often falling short against rivals at the top.

They’ll need to be strong in defence to handle leading goalscorer Anthony Proia, who hit a hat-trick in midweek, and is teaming up well with Matthew McNab up front for the Fury.

Jared Fish is having a good season in Bluey colours, and with Rick Goodchild and Darren Stone to supply him, that could pose the main threat for the Fury backline.

I think the Fury will be just too strong again, but this will be a tighter affair than the last two Fury wins.

Preview by Simon Duffin