ILLAWARRA MERCURY PREMIER LEAGUE – ROUND 16 PREVIEW

Friday 5 July

Cringila Lions vs Albion Park White Eagles @ Crehan Park – 8pm

Cringila returned to the winners circle last round, with Stuart Beedie’s side rising to a 1-0 win over Fernhill at Crehan Park on Saturday. The Lions remain in tenth but now sit comfortably in the spot, with the side five points off 9^th-placed Coniston and four points ahead of 11^th-placed South Coast United. A win could see the Lions draw close to the pack chasing a finals position, while a defeat could see them drop back into the relegation battle mix. The side will be hoping to maintain their recent defensive form as they go up against one of the league’s top-scoring sides, with the Lions conceding only three goals in their last five matches.

But Albion Park will be looking to stake a claim in the title race with a win over the Lions, with the White Eagles moving up to second spot last round after a 2-1 win over Coniston on Sunday. A win for Paul Carter’s side could cut Wollongong Olympic’s lead at the top of the ladder to four points if Olympic lose to Woonona but a White Eagles loss could see them drop to fourth if Corrimal and Tarrawanna pick up wins. Albion Park will no doubt be looking at in-form striker Cameron Morgan to help the side get over the line, with the forward netting eight goals in his last four matches.

Albion Park claimed the last encounter between the two sides rather easily, with goals from Joel Beattie, Chris Gomez and Shaun Mcrae helping the side to a 3-0 win at Terry Reserve in Round 5. While Mcrae and Gomez no longer feature for the White Eagles, the side will be desperate to remain in the title race and that desire might be just enough to get them over the line against a dangerous Cringila side.

Prediction – Albion Park White Eagles

Saturday 6 July

Woonona FC vs Wollongong Olympic @ Ocean Park – 2:30pm

Woonona had the week off last round, with their Round 15 clash against Wollongong United postponed due to issues with the Macedonia Park pitch. Despite the lack of a match, the Sharks remained in the top five thanks to results elsewhere falling in their favor, with Dan McGoldrick’s side two points ahead of United. A Woonona win could push them into 4^th if Tarrawanna lose to Port Kembla but a Sharks loss could see them overtaken by as many as three teams due to their poor goal differential.

The Sharks will have a big ask against a Wollongong Olympic side who moved seven points clear of the pack last round, with goals from Joey Lavalle and John Martinoski helping the side to a 2-0 win over fellow title-rivals Corrimal Rangers on Saturday. The win was another strong notch in their form guide, with the side picking up 15 out of their last 18 points to stake a strong claim for their first league title since 1994. George Antoniou’s side could move to a ten-point lead with a win and if other results go their way, but a loss could cut the lead to as little as four points.

Neither side claimed the three points when these two sides faced back in Round 5, with goals from Olympic’s Vaughan Patterson and Yusuke Ueda cancelled out by strikes from Jai Mellor and Lachlan Newman in an exciting 2-2 draw at PCYC. While Woonona will pose a great challenge for the league leaders, Wollongong Olympic should have just enough to see them off this time around and secure a vital three points.

Prediction – Wollongong Olympic

Fernhill FC vs Bulli FC @ Ray Robinson Field – 2:30pm

Fernhill entered crisis alert last round, with a 1-0 loss to Cringila on Saturday compounded by a 2-1 South Coast United win over Port Kembla, dropping the Foxes to the bottom of the ladder. Bruce Tilt’s squad has hit a rough patch of form over the last month - with the side only picking up one point from their last six matches – and with a tough run home, the Foxes will need to upset the apple cart significantly if they are to push their way back out of the relegation zone. A win against Bulli would be a great start, with the three points potentially sending them past South Coast United if SCU fails to get over Wollongong United.

Meanwhile Bulli are also struggling a little bit in the winning department, with a 1-1 draw against Tarrawanna on Saturday extending the sides’ winless streak to four matches but moving the side up to seventh on the ladder, three points behind fifth-placed Woonona. Matt Bailey’s side could crack the top five with a win over Fernhill if other results go their way but a loss for Bulli could see the side drop as low as ninth.

It was Fernhill who grabbed all three points the last time these two sides faced, with a stunning Yoji Ogawa strike the only thing separating the sides in a 1-0 win at Balls Paddock back in Round 5. While Fernhill have the quality to cause a similar result this time around, their poor form could help Bulli avenge the defeat and snap their own recent run of poor form.

Prediction – Bulli FC

South Coast United vs Wollongong United @ Ian McLennan Park – 6:30pm

South Coast United claimed another massive three points in the relegation fight last round, with a brace from Chris Smith helping the side to their second win of the season in a 2-1 win over Port Kembla on Saturday evening. Greg Valic’s side moved off the foot of the ladder as a result of the victory, and the side will look to move four points clear of Fernhill with a result over Wollongong United. However a loss for the side could see them slip back into bottom spot if the Foxes can get over Bulli, but SCU will be hoping they can maintain their own recent form – with the side having gone four matches unbeaten since their 4-2 loss to Cringila back in Round 11.

Wollongong United on the other hand had last round off, with their Round 15 clash against Woonona called off due to issues with the Macedonia Park pitch. However, the side was in action on Tuesday night in their rescheduled Round 12 clash against Coniston, with the side taking a share of the spoils in a 1-1 draw. That result leaves United in sixth place, two points behind Woonona although both sides have a game in hand. A United win over SCU could send the side back into the top five for the first time since Round 11 but a loss could see them drop as low as ninth if results fail to go their way. United will be desperate to turn things around after a rough few weeks, with the side failing to pick up a win in any of their last five matches.

Wollongong United did claim all three points the last time these two sides faced back in Round 5, with Maty Brennan and Matthew McNab getting on then scoresheet in a 2-0 win at Macedonia Park but with SCU in a good patch of form and Wollongong United struggling to get recent matches over the line, a tight draw could be on the cards in this one.

Prediction – Draw

Sunday 7 July

Tarrawanna Blueys vs Port Kembla FC @ Tarrawanna Oval – 2:30pm

Tarrawanna missed a golden chance to advance on the top three last round, with a 1-1 draw against Bulli keeping the side sitting in fourth place, two points off third-placed Corrimal. The Blueys could jump as high as second with a win over Port Kembla if Albion Park and Corrimal both lose their fixtures, but a loss for the Blueys could see them slip behind Woonona. Peter Willis’ side will be aiming for a crucial three points that will no doubt aid them in their quest to achieve their first top three finish since 2012.

However, Port Kembla will be looking to return to winning ways after going down in a shock 2-1 defeat to South Coast United on Saturday, dropping the side to eighth on the ladder. Port Kembla can move into the top five with a win if other results fall in their favor, but a loss could see Steven Dimitrievski’s side overtaken by Coniston. Port Kembla have been struggling in recent weeks, with the side taking only four points from a maximum of 21 since their 6-0 win over Cringila back in Round 8. With Tarrawanna occasionally slipping up against lower-ranked sides on the ladder, this match could be a great opportunity for Port Kembla to nab a crucial three points.

Port Kembla claimed all three points when these two sides faced off back in Round 5, with a Sandy Lowcock hat-trick helping the side to a 3-0 win at Wetherall Park. However, since that fixture Port Kembla have hit an extremely rough patch of turbulence and it might be just enough for an inconsistent Tarrawanna side to take advantage and claim the three points in this fixture.

Prediction – Tarrawanna Blueys

Corrimal Rangers vs Coniston FC @ Macedonia Park – 3pm

Corrimal’s recent run of good form ended at the hand of the league leaders last round, with the Rangers falling to a 2-0 loss to Wollongong Olympic on Saturday – dropping Rob Jonoski’s side to third place on the ladder. A Rangers win will move the side back into second if Albion Park fail to get the job done against Cringila, but a loss could see the side overtaken by Tarrawanna if the Blueys beat Port Kembla. Corrimal will be looking to resume the strong goal-scoring form they have carried throughout most of the season against Coniston, with the Rangers going goalless in their previous two fixtures – a rare misfire for the top-scoring side in the league.

Meanwhile Coniston had double duty last round, with the side falling to a 2-1 defeat to Albion Park White Eagles on Sunday before nabbing a point in a 1-1 draw against Wollongong United in their rescheduled Round 12 clash on Tuesday evening. The point gained means Coniston now sits four points off a finals spot, with a win for Jeff Allport’s side potentially moving them into sixth place if results fall their way. Coniston have found the net in each of their last five matches, but they will need to be on top defensive form if they are to keep a dangerous Corrimal front-line at bay and secure a result.

Neither side netted the three points when these two teams faced off back in Round 5, with a Dinko Terzic brace for Coniston cancelled out by a Van Elia brace for Corrimal in a 2-2 draw at JJ Kelly Park. While Coniston have the quality to net a result over Corrimal, the Rangers’ desire to push themselves back into the title race might just be enough for them to grab all three points in what promises to be a tight encounter.

Prediction – Corrimal Rangers

Preview by Cal Behrendt, on Twitter @CalBehrendt