PEOPLECARE DISTRICT LEAGUE - ROUND 9 PREVIEW

Saturday 15 May

Berkeley Sports vs Kiama Quarriers @ Berkeley Sports and Social Club - 3 pm

Berkeley were seconds away from earning their first win of the season against Balgownie before a late Abdul Lawal equaliser denied the Goats. Berkeley have picked up just two points over the opening eight rounds and will face another difficult match when they host Kiama.

The Quarriers had a miserable time out last round conceding five goals against Picton, adding to a slow start to the season with the Quarriers winning just two games so far.

Kiama have struggled to keep goals out of their own net this season, conceding 4.4 goals on average per game. The Goats will be looking to capitalise on this, but they will need to show more attacking quality than they have in previous rounds, having only scored nine goals this campaign.

Berkeley did show signs of improvement in this area in their previous match against Balgownie, having great spells of pressure but the side lacked the quality needed to put chances away.

Both sides are in desperate need of three points, with a win for Berkeley potentially lifting them out of bottom place if Shell Cove fail to get a point against 4th placed Unanderra while a win for Kiama could send them within three points of the top five pending the results around them.

With so much at stake, it will be a tight match with a draw being a highly probable result.

Prediction - Draw

 

Picton Rangers vs Bellambi Rosellas @ Hume Oval - 3 pm

Bellambi had a very positive Mother’s Day weekend, ending Unanderra’s unbeaten run in the District League with a 1-0 win and knocking out Premier League opposition in the Bert Bampton Cup with a 2-0 win over Wollongong United to send the Rosellas through to the quarter-finals of the competition.

They visit Hume Oval to play a Picton side who dispatched Kiama with ease in round eight, with a 5-1 win sending the Rangers to within a point of the top five. Picton are also unbeaten in four of their last five games, which will give some momentum to the home side as they seek to end the Rosellas unbeaten start to the campaign.

Bellambi should be able to continue their unbeaten run but will have to be near their best to defeat a confident Rangers side.

Prediction - Bellambi

 

Warilla Wanderers vs University @ King Mickey Park - 3 pm

Warilla picked up a valuable three points in a 2-1 win against Thirroul last Saturday in what was the Wanderers’ second victory of the season, helping the side move into eighth place. Warilla backed this up on Sunday with a disappointing 4-1 defeat to Coniston in the Bert Bampton Cup, a rematch of last season’s District League grand final. They will face a struggling University side who have lost four out of their last six games, including a 6-2 loss to 2nd-placed Helensburgh last Saturday.

The student’s recent run of results means the side are just a point away from dropping out of the top five. However, with four of their next five games against sides below them in the table, Jake Howard’s side have a golden chance to push themselves away from the chasing pack and consolidate a position in the top five.

Warilla have had a hard time finding the net so far this season, with the Wanderers scoring only five goals so far this campaign, the lowest in the league. They will be hoping to improve this record against a University side who have the worst defensive record of any side in the top five.

That being said, University will be desperate to turn this poor run of form around and their game against Warilla could be the perfect opportunity for them to do so.

Prediction - University

 

Helensburgh Thistle vs Balgownie Rangers @ Rex Jackson Park - 3 pm

The Thistle continued to keep in touch with league leaders Bellambi last round with a thumping 6-2 victory over University at Kooloobong Oval last Saturday, with the side only a point behind the Rosellas on the ladder. They will welcome Balgownie to Rex Jackson Park who have only won one game in their last five.

A positive sign for Balgownie heading into this game is that both of their wins this season have come away from home, but Helensburgh have a great recent history against the Rangers, claiming all three points both times the two sides faced off last season.

Fatigue may be a factor in this one, as Helensburgh went all the way to penalties on Wednesday night in the Bert Bampton Cup against Premier League side Corrimal in a thrilling 3-3 draw. The Thistle have won six games in a row in the league, scoring on average nearly four goals per game. This type of goalscoring form suggests that it should be another three points for Brad Boardman’s side.

Prediction - Helensburgh

 

Thirroul Thunder vs Oak Flats Falcons @ Thomas Gibson Park - 3 pm

Thirroul will come into this game off the back of a narrow 2-1 defeat against Warilla last round while Oak Flats were on the right end of a 2-1 score line, defeating Shell Cove at Keith Bond Oval.

The Thunder have had a tough time so far this season, sitting in ninth position and just five points from the bottom of the ladder. They will welcome an Oak Flats side who are currently just three points off of top position. The contrast in form will set up an interesting encounter when the sides meet on Saturday afternoon.

The Falcons have conceded eight goals so far this campaign which is the second-best defensive record in the division. They will be confident of maintaining this statistic against a side who have scored just ten goals over the opening eight rounds.

With the Falcons’ positive form so far this season and free-flowing attack, they should have enough to topple the Thunder.

Prediction - Oak Flats

 

Sunday 16 May

Unanderra Hearts vs Shell Cove @ Unanderra Oval - 3 pm

Unanderra currently sit in fourth position in the division on 17 points, but the Hearts’ unbeaten run was stopped last weekend in a 1-0 defeat to Bellambi. Meanwhile Shell Cove sit just a point above Berkeley at the bottom after only one win this season, with the side losing out to Oak Flats last round in a 2-1 defeat.

Shell Cove will look to maintain the mental advantage against Unanderra that the side developed last season, having not lost to the Hearts since their return to the District League in 2018, with the side most recently thumping the Hearts 5-0 in the First Round of this season’s Bert Bampton Cup.

The three points could prove to be vital for both sides, with a win for Unanderra helping the side stay in contact with the top three while a result for Shell Cove will help the side gain some much needed breathing room from Berkeley at the bottom of the ladder, especially as their Round 11 clash against the Goats draws ever closer.

The Hearts will be looking to get back to winning ways after last week’s disappointment and should be able to roll over an out of form Shell Cove.

Prediction - Unanderra

 

Preview by Timothy Gibson on Twitter, @Timg123_

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