Saturday 20 July

Bulli FC vs Port Kembla FC @ Balls Paddock – 2:30pm

Bulli will be pleased at how their last week has shaped out, with the side grabbing their first league win since Round 11 in a 1-0 win over Cringila at Balls Paddock last Saturday before progressing to their second Bert Bampton Cup Final in three seasons on Wednesday evening with a win over this weekend’s opponents. Matt Bailey’s side remains on the precipice of finals football, with the side sitting in eighth spot but only two points off fifth-placed Tarrawanna. A win for Bulli over fellow finals chasers Port Kembla could see the side move into fifth if results go their way but a loss could see them drop as many as five points off the finals pace.

But Port Kembla will be hoping to continue their positive momentum gained by their 2-0 win over competition strugglers Fernhill last Saturday, with the side currently level on points with Bulli albeit ahead on goals scored. Steven Dimitrievski’s side will take solace in the fact that they have been consistently scoring in the league – with the side last failing to find the back of the net back in Round 3 against Woonona – which will be encouraging against a Bulli side that has conceded only 18 league goals this campaign.

It will be second time in four days these two sides have faced off against each other – having met in the Bert Bampton Cup Semi-Final on Wednesday evening at Wetherall Park. It was Bulli who claimed the bragging rights earlier in the week with a 4-0 thumping thanks to goals from Sam Davies, Kyle Jackson, Sam Miranda and Kye Foster and with both sides needing a win to keep their finals hunt on pace, Bulli’s mental advantage might just be enough to get them over the line once again.

Prediction – Bulli FC

Coniston FC vs South Coast United @ JJ Kelly Park – 2:30pm

Coniston had a week to forget last round, with the side crashing to a 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Woonona – their biggest league loss since August 2014 and one that leaves the side seven points adrift of finals football. Jeff Allport’s side has only picked up one point from their last four league games and now sit five points behind eighth-placed Bulli and five points ahead of tenth-place Cringila, with a win helping them pull further away from the bottom three and going a long way to helping secure their Premier League status for 2020.

However, South Coast United will be looking to continue their recent unbeaten streak – which now sits at six matches – with the side nabbing a point against the league-leading Wollongong Olympic last Saturday in a 1-1 draw at PCYC. While Greg Valic’s side has only won two of those last six matches, the points gained from their streak means the side sits two points ahead of last-placed Fernhill, with a SCU win potentially pushing the side past tenth-placed Cringila while a loss could see them slip behind the Foxes if Fernhill can beat Wollongong United.

It was Coniston who claimed all three points the last time these two sides met back in Round 7, with goals from Dinko Terzic and Rob Brown handing Coniston a 2-0 win at Ian McLennan Park. But with Coniston struggling to find form and South Coast United on their longest unbeaten streak in the league since April 2014, this fixture could very easily see a reverse result on the cards here.

Prediction – South Coast United

Woonona FC vs Albion Park White Eagles @ Ocean Park – 2:30pm

Woonona rebounded in style last week after their Round 16 loss against Wollongong Olympic, with the side pumping Coniston 5-0 at JJ Kelly Park on Saturday before beating Wollongong United 1-0 in their rescheduled Round 15 clash on Tuesday evening – pushing the Sharks past Tarrawanna and into fourth place. Dan McGoldrick’s side now sit only three points off the second-placed White Eagles and could move level with them with a win on Saturday but a loss could see them slip back behind Tarrawanna if the Blueys can beat Wollongong Olympic.

Meanwhile Albion Park will be looking to make up for lost time after the side missed a huge chance to gain ground on league leaders Wollongong Olympic last round, with the White Eagles laboring to a 1-1 draw against fellow title-rivals Corrimal Rangers last Sunday at Terry Reserve. Paul Carter’s side sits seven points behind Olympic but only one point ahead of the Rangers, with a loss to the Sharks potentially seeing them slip into third and all but removing them from the title race.

Neither side could nab all three points when these two sides faced off back in Round 7, with a Chris Gomez strike cancelled out by a Luke McCosker goal in a 1-1 draw at Terry Reserve. With both sides needing a win to further their finals and title ambitions, we could see two strong teams deadlock each other in what promises to be an extremely tight and crucial matchup.

Prediction – Draw

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

Fernhill’s unwanted winless streak continued last round, with a 2-0 loss to Port Kembla at Wetherall Park on Saturday extending the side’s streak to eight games without a win. Bruce Tilt’s side have picked up only two points out of a possible 24 since their Round 9 win over Coniston, leaving the side two points adrift of eleventh-placed South Coast United at the foot of the ladder. A win for the Foxes could potentially send them ahead of SCU but a loss could put a massive dent in their campaign to avoid relegation from the league.

Meanwhile, Wollongong United had a hit and miss week last time around, with the side grabbing their first win in seven matches with a 2-1 win over Tarrawanna on Saturday at Macedonia Park before missing their chance to break into the top-five on Tuesday – going down 1-0 to Woonona. Oli Vrtkovski’s side sit only one point behind fifth-placed Tarrawanna and a win could send them into the top five for the first time since Round 11, but a loss could see them lose valuable ground in the race for the finals. However, the side will no doubt be worried about their lack of goals in recent weeks, with United only netting two goals in their last five matches – both against Tarrawanna on Saturday.

Wollongong United claimed all three points when these two sides faced back in Round 7, with Jordan Hughes’ first half strike not enough to hold off United, with braces from Shane Murray and Steven Ilic and goals from Zac McLaren and Hikaru Kawasakiya firing United to a 6-1 win in what was head coach Icko Atanasoski’s final match in charge of United. While the score may not be as large as last time around, United’s desire to push into the top five may be enough to get them over the line once again here.

Prediction – Wollongong United

Sunday 21 July

Cringila Lions vs Corrimal Rangers @ Crehan Park – 2:30pm

Cringila’s recent slide out of form continued last round, with the side going down 1-0 to Bulli at Balls Paddock last Saturday. The Lions have now lost three of their last four fixtures and the loss to Bulli means Stuart Beedie’s side remains in tenth for another week, five points behind Coniston but only two ahead of eleventh-placed South Coast United. A Cringila win could see the side take a huge step towards avoiding relegation but a loss could see them slide within a point of last place. Despite stuttering in recent weeks, Cringila will take solace in the fact that the side’s four losses since Round 8 have only been by a goal, something that could prove decisive as the relegation battle heads into the final few weeks.

Meanwhile Corrimal will look to push themselves back into second place on the ladder after the side failed to get past Albion Park last round, with a 1-1 draw with the White Eagles leaving the Rangers in third place. Rob Jonoski’s side sits eight points off league leaders Wollongong Olympic but could overtake Albion Park with a win if the White Eagles fail to get past Woonona. However, a Corrimal loss could see the side slip to fourth and all but eliminate themselves from the title race if Woonona picks up a win. However, Corrimal will be pleased to know that the side is yet to drop points against the bottom three sides this season, picking up three wins and racking up 13 goals in the process while conceding only two.

Corrimal picked up all three points back in Round 7 with a handy 6-2 win over the Lions, with Corrimal’s Van Elia stealing the show thanks to a five goal haul. With Corrimal needing a win in order to remain in the hunt for the title, the Rangers should be able to hold off a resilient Cringila side and secure all three points.

Prediction – Corrimal Rangers

Tarrawanna Blueys vs Wollongong Olympic @ Tarrawanna Oval – 2:30pm

It was a week to forget for Tarrawanna last time out, with the side going down 2-1 to Wollongong United at Macedonia Park on Saturday before bowing out of the Bert Bampton Cup on Tuesday evening to Wollongong Olympic. The Blueys’ loss on Saturday means the side now sits in fifth place – having been overtaken by Woonona – with the side only one point ahead of sixth-placed Wollongong United. While a win could see the Blueys retake fourth place a loss could see the side slip out of the top five for the first time all season if results fail to go their way. However, with the Blueys only picking up one win in their last seven matches they will need to turn things around quickly if the side is to nab finals football.

Meanwhile Wollongong Olympic had a mixed week, with the side missing a crucial chance to put one hand on the title after a 1-1 draw with lowly South Coast United on Saturday at PCYC but the side did advance to their second straight Bert Bampton Cup Final on Tuesday with a win over Tarrawanna. George Antoniou’s side holds their fate in their own hands, with the side currently seven points clear of second place and a win against Tarrawanna ensuring finals football for Olympic for the fourth straight season. However, a win for Olympic could see them move ten points clear if results go their way – potentially sending them into championship point with four games left to go this season.

Both teams saw each other on Tuesday evening, with Tarrawanna and Olympic facing off in a Bert Bampton Cup Semi-Final at Ray Robinson Field. It was Wollongong Olympic who nabbed the win, with goals from Yusuke Ueda and Vaughan Patterson keeping Olympic’s chances at a double on track. With the side aiming to grab their first league title since 1994, Olympic should have enough quality about them to see off a stuttering Tarrawanna side.

Prediction – Wollongong Olympic

Preview by Cal Behrendt, on Twitter @CalBehrendt