Match of the Round
Lake Macquarie City FC v Dudley Redhead United
Macquarie Field, Sunday 4pm
Lake Macquarie City FC head coach Michael Body says his side is focused on taking each game as it comes, as the Roosters continue to close in on Wallsend FC at the top of the table ahead of Sunday’s clash with Dudley Redhead United SFC at Macquarie Field.
Lake Macquarie arrive in strong form, sitting second on the table after a 3-0 win over Cessnock City Hornets last weekend, and a huge 7-1 midweek win over West Wallsend SFC.
Body said getting back to winning ways was more than pleasing, given the disruptions within the squad.
"It was good to bounce back and get a string of results after the disappointment of Wallsend the week before," Body said.
"The players have done really well. We had a few injuries and illnesses amongst the camp, so it was just great to get back to winning ways."
With Dudley and Newcastle Croatia both firmly in the picture behind them, Body acknowledged that the next stretch of fixtures carries significant weight.
"Dudley are in the top four, and Croatia are beginning to get a roll on, so there's not much of a gap in that top five," Body said.
“They're massive games, but the players don't need any extra motivation; they know what's at stake."
Asked whether the title and automatic promotion were now a part of the conversation within the camp, Body kept the focus on results.
"If we can keep winning, we're going to be in a good position come season's end," Body said.
“If you want to be in the play-offs or get promoted, you have to win fixtures like this one.”
Dudley enters the fixture fresh off a hard-fought 0-0 draw against league leaders Wallsend last weekend, a result head coach Mark Wilson was satisfied with, given the quality of the opposition.
"It was a fair result. It was a pretty closely contested game, so to come away with a point against the league leaders was satisfying," Wilson said.
Sitting third on the table, Wilson knows that turning these competitive draws into wins will be essential if Dudley wants to confirm their place in the promotion play-off positions.
"In that first round of fixtures, we didn't beat any of the top sides," Wilson said.
“There was Wallsend, Lakes, New Lambton, so for us to be talking about being top-four contenders, we've got to be taking points off those sides.
"Like last weekend when we picked up a point, if we want to be in the mix, we've got to be taking points off sides like Lakes."
Dudley's position and success on the field can be largely attributed to their defensive record, which saw them concede just once in their last four matches and record three consecutive clean sheets.
Wilson, however, is wary of just how tight the race for the top four has become.
"We're just a point above fifth, so we know just how close the competition is," Wilson said.
"If you can string two or three wins together, it can do wonders for you, but lose two or three, and you can drop out of the top four.
“You've got to be on your game every week; there are no easy games."
With both sides aware of the congestion behind them on the table, Sunday's result could go a long way to shaping the top four for the rest of the season.
Expect a tightly contested affair between two of the league's most defensively reliable sides.
A win for Dudley would help lift them above Lake Macquarie and see them emerge as serious promotion challengers.
For Lake Macquarie, a victory would close the gap to league leaders Wallsend and keep their own title ambitions firmly alive.
Toronto Awaba FC v Cessnock City Hornets
Lyall Peacock Oval, Saturday 2pm
Cessnock City Hornets head coach Josh Maguire says his side needs to start putting points on the board as they look to end a nine-game winless run when they travel to face Toronto Awaba FC at Lyall Peacock Oval on Saturday.
Cessnock arrive off the back of a 3-0 loss to Lake Macquarie City FC last weekend, a result Maguire felt was always going to be a tough ask against one of the league's stronger sides.
"We knew we'd probably be under gunned against a good side, so we tried to set up in a defensive block to limit their attack," Maguire said.
"We got to about the 47th minute before conceding the second goal, which was a killer for us."
Despite the result, Maguire pointed to the final 25 minutes as a sign his side is heading in the right direction in front of goal.
"We went toe to toe with them for the last 25 minutes and created plenty of chances, which is something we've been lacking the last couple of weeks," Maguire said.
"Some of the players who came on in that period will get the minutes they deserve this weekend."
Cessnock's struggles in front of goal have been made difficult by the absence of leading scorer Zac Kronholm, who is suspended until round 18, with the Hornets managing just one goal across their last three matches.
"We've got a couple of young forwards who'll have to fill that hole up front, which is a tough ask, but we can't keep crying over spilt milk. They’re working really hard and well," Maguire said.
"There's still six or seven games to go, and we need to find a way to cover that loss, whether that's a formation change, rotation, or both."
With the chasing pack closing in, Maguire knows Saturday's result carries weight for where Cessnock may finish the season.
"We're getting to the stage of the season where the teams behind us are starting to catch up, so we’re aware of how important this weekend is," Maguire said.
"Hopefully we can get a result and give ourselves a bit of breathing space."
Toronto head into the contest with renewed confidence after a crucial 1-0 win over South Cardiff FC last weekend.
The result leaves them just a point behind the Gunners and two points adrift of Cessnock, despite still sitting at the bottom of the table.
For Toronto, much like last week, this fixture is shaping up as another must-win, with three points offering them the chance to climb out of the relegation spot.
A win for Toronto would lift them above Cessnock and out of last place for one of the first times this season.
For Cessnock, a victory would not only end their nine-game winless run but ease the growing pressure from the chasing pack below them.
South Cardiff FC v New Lambton FC
Ulinga Oval, Saturday 6pm
South Cardiff FC host New Lambton FC at Ulinga Oval on Saturday evening, with the home side facing a fixture that carries serious weight at the bottom of the table.
South Cardiff go into the match off the back of a hard-to-take 1-0 loss to Toronto Awaba FC, a result that leaves them just one point clear of bottom-placed Toronto.
Another defeat this weekend would risk them dropping into the relegation spot, making it a crucial fixture to try and get a positive result in.
Positively for the Gunners, their defensive output has been solid this season, a trait that has at least kept them competitive in tight matches.
Improving their quality in the final third, however, will be key if they are to get a result in this fixture.
They will also be without Zayne Morphew-Watson through suspension, a forward they will need to account for against a quality opponent.
New Lambton arrive at Ulinga Oval looking to bounce back from a disappointing 4-1 loss to Newcastle Croatia, a result well out of character for a side that has built its season on its defensive quality.
The defeat dropped New Lambton out of the top four, and they will be keen to climb straight back into the promotion play-off spaces with a positive result.
The visitors can take some confidence from their 2-0 win over South Cardiff earlier in the season, though they will be wary of a home side desperate for points, given what's on the line.
A win for New Lambton would help them bounce back from their heaviest defeat of the season and reclaim their place in the top four.
For South Cardiff, three points would help them keep out of the relegation spot and ease the pressure at the bottom end of the table.
West Wallsend SFC v Newcastle Croatia
Johnston Park, Sunday 3pm
West Wallsend SFC welcome Newcastle Croatia to Johnston Park on Sunday afternoon, with both sides eyeing a result that would strengthen their push towards the promotion play-off places.
West Wallsend arrive having beaten Singleton Strikers comfortably last Sunday.
That form was undone midweek, however, with a heavy 7-1 loss to Lake Macquarie City FC, a result they will be desperate to put behind them.
While the Bluebells have turned their season around in recent months and are now eyeing a place among the league's top four, they know they’ll need to start getting results against the teams above them if they want to be considered serious contenders.
A positive result against Croatia, who sit six points ahead of them in fourth, would go a long way to proving that point.
Just as they did against Lake Macquarie, West Wallsend's defence will face a stern test against one of the league's best attacking units, and how they handle that threat could decide the contest.
Newcastle Croatia travel to Johnston Park having turned their own form around, winning four of their last five matches and showcasing one of the strongest attacking line-ups in the competition.
While they do continue to leak goals at the back, Croatia's attacking output has carried them through plenty of high-scoring, nail-biting affairs in recent weeks, a trend that has made them one of the league's most difficult sides to face.
Expect an intense, physical encounter between the two sides looking to claim their place within the promotion play-off spots.
Another three points for Newcastle Croatia could push them up to third on the table and open up a nine-point buffer over West Wallsend.
For West Wallsend, a win would close the gap to the top four and create just a three-point difference to fourth-place Croatia.
Wallsend FC v Singleton Strikers
Ladbroke Gardens, Sunday 3pm
Wallsend FC host Singleton Strikers at Ladbroke Gardens on Sunday afternoon, with the home side looking to return to winning ways after being held to a 0-0 draw away to Dudley Redhead United last weekend.
While Wallsend were searching for a win, a point against one of the league's best defensive sides has kept them at the top of the table, proving to be a valuable point away from home.
They know the chasing pack will keep applying pressure, and that maintaining their title and automatic promotion hopes will require them to consistently collect three points week after week.
Singleton arrive having lost their last two matches, but they will take confidence from their previous meeting with Wallsend, a 1-1 draw that proved they can trouble the league leaders.
Despite that, Singleton will need to perform well above their recent level, having shipped 12 goals across their last two matches, including a 4-0 defeat to West Wallsend FC last weekend.
With just one win from their last five outings, the Strikers know a positive result here would be invaluable, sitting just three points above bottom-placed Toronto Awaba FC.
Every match from here presents an important chance for Singleton to pick up points and steer clear of the relegation zone.
The visitors will also be without Hayden Lambert through suspension, though starting keeper Stuart Plant will return to the squad.
A win for Singleton would ease their relegation concerns and provide a much-needed confidence boost heading into the back half of the season.
For Wallsend, a victory would extend their lead at the top and further strengthen their position in the title race.