Match of the Round
Dudley Redhead United v Kahibah FC
Lydon Oval, Saturday 5pm
Kahibah will look to take another giant step towards automatic promotion when they take on Dudley Redhead United on Saturday.
Blair Newham’s side travel to Lydon Oval top of the HIT106.9 Northern League One table after 15 rounds. Kahibah have a four-point lead over Toronto Awaba with three rounds to play, though the Stags have a game in hand.
Should Toronto Awaba win its rescheduled round 11 clash with struggling Wallsend next weekend, it would mean Kahibah can not afford to drop points on the run in if they are to be crowned premiers given the Stags’ superior goal difference.
Kahibah have won eight matches in a row including their 4-2 victory over South Cardiff last weekend. They last dropped points when Singleton held them to a 1-1 draw in round eight.
Meanwhile, Dudley Redhead will attempt to disrupt Kahibah’s charge towards promotion to NPL Men’s NNSW.
Dudley Redhead are third on the table but a defeat to Kahibah could see them slip to fourth with potentially three more clubs in striking distance of taking their place in the Promotion/Relegation Play-Off Finals Series.
Dudley Redhead were promoted to HIT106.9 Northern League One from Zone League One last season and have impressed many with the way they have handled the step up.
Dudley Redhead are also on an excellent run of form having won its last four matches in a row.
Kahibah will be looking for a repeat of their 2-0 victory over Dudley Redhead in round seven.
Singleton Strikers v Lake Macquarie City FC
Howe Park, Saturday 2pm
Singleton and Lake Macquarie City will look to take the lead in the race for the top four when they meet at Howe Park on Saturday.
The fourth-placed Strikers and Lakes are level on 19 points, with Singleton ahead on goal difference.
A win for either side could see them climb as high as third. Though a loss could see them drop to as low as seventh such is the logjam in the middle of the table.
Singleton missed their chance to strengthen their grip on fourth place when 10-man Thornton held them to a 1-1 draw thanks to a late equaliser last Sunday.
The Strikers are in a poor run of form, having failed to win any of its last five matches.
Lake Macquarie broke their own recent run of poor results having lost five matches in a row to nosedive down the table. Lakes are unbeaten in their last two matches following a draw with Cessnock and win over struggling Wallsend.
Lake Macquarie City downed Singleton 3-2 when they met in round seven.
Thornton Redbacks v South Cardiff FC
Thornton Park, Saturday 2pm
South Cardiff will be desperate for a result when they make the trip to Thornton Park to take on the Redbacks on Saturday.
The Gunners are last on the table and in real danger of relegation to Zone League One with three rounds to play.
But they are only below Cessnock City on goal difference and trail Wallsend by one point. A result against Thornton could see them climb as high as eighth and help reduce fears of the drop.
South Cardiff have failed to win any of its last five matches, though that run included two matches against league leaders Kahibah and tough away trip to play third-placed Dudley Redhead.
Meanwhile, Thornton will be looking up the table knowing three points could see them within touching distance of the top four.
The Redbacks are seventh on 18 points, one point behind fourth-placed Singleton who face fifth-placed Lake Macquarie City at the same time on Saturday.
Finishing the weekend on 21 points would see Thornton well and truly in the hunt for a place in the Promotion/Relegation Play-Off Finals Series with two rounds to play.
Thornton are also in good form, having only lost one of its last six games.
South Cardiff scored an epic 4-3 victory when they met the Redbacks in round seven.
Toronto Awaba FC v Cessnock City Hornets
Lyall Peacock Oval, Saturday 2pm
Toronto Awaba and Cessnock City will be keen for three points for different reasons when they meet at Lyall Peacock Oval on Saturday.
The Stags must win to keep their hopes of automatic promotion to NPL Men’s NNSW alive. They trail Kahibah by four points but have a match in hand against Wallsend next weekend.
A win over struggling Cessnock would keep them in the hunt for the premiership heading into the final two rounds of the campaign.
Meanwhile the Hornets are hovering above the relegation zone. Cessnock are above South Cardiff only on goal difference and need points to help keep them safe from the drop.
The Hornets have won only one of their last 11 matches with an extremely tough run home against title-chasing Toronto Awaba and Kahibah as well as a clash with Thornton who are in the battle for a finals place.
Toronto Awaba ended its mini slump of two games without a win which saw them slip from the top of the table with a convincing 4-0 win over West Wallsend last weekend. While Cessnock are looking to bounce back from a 4-2 defeat to Dudley Redhead.
The Stags won 4-2 when the sides met at Turner Park in May.
Wallsend FC v West Wallsend SFC
Ladbroke Gardens, Sunday 5pm
Wallsend and West Wallsend will meet in an extremely high stakes Wallsend Derby on Sunday.
West Wallsend arrive at Ladbroke Gardens in sixth place, one point outside the top four.
The Bluebells are part of a logjam of sides looking to secure a top four finish and a place in the Promotion/Relegation Play-Off Finals Series.
Meanwhile Wallsend are in eighth place, one point above last-placed South Cardiff in the relegation zone.
The Red Devils have a match in hand against premiership contenders Toronto Awaba next weekend. But Wallsend have a tough run home which also includes matches against top four contenders Dudley Redhead and Thornton.
Wallsend are unbeaten in three of its last six matches, with three defeats all by a single goal including a 3-2 loss to Lake Macquarie City on Sunday.
Westy are also in a mixed run of form, with two wins, two draws and two losses from its last six matches. Toronto Awaba hammered the Bluebells 4-0 on Saturday.
Wallsend downed West Wallsend 2-0 when they met in round seven.
