Match of the Round
Lake Macquarie City FC v West Wallsend SFC
Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility Field Two, Friday 8pm
Two sides searching for a spot in the Promotion/Relegation Play-Off Finals series will go head-to-head when Lake Macquarie City FC host West Wallsend SFC at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility on Friday night.
The two teams sit fifth and sixth on the table on 19 points, just three points outside the top four.
A win this weekend for either side will see them boosted to at least fourth on the table as Dudley Redhead United took the field on Wednesday night and went down 3-1.
Lake Macquarie City have had an inconsistent run of results, having won just one of their past five and drawing one.
The Roosters will want to secure all three points this weekend to keep their hopes of returning to the NPL Men’s NNSW competition in 2026 alive.
They will enter the match with the confidence of knowing they defeated the Bluebells 5-4 the last time they met in round eight, coming back from a 4-3 deficit in the final 10 minutes.
But they will need to tighten their defence after conceding 39 goals this season, the second most of any side.
West Wallsend will have to take the field without the guidance of head coach Bailey Cox after he was handed a six-match suspension for match official abuse in round 16.
The Bluebells need a win to keep their Promotion/Relegation Play-Off Finals series alive, something the club will be eager to be a part of for the second year in a row.
But they have also had an inconsistent run of results with one win, two draws and two losses in their past five matches.
They will need to enter the match with full focus after conceding five minutes into their round 15 match and four minutes into their round 16 match.
West Wallsend will also be without James Lowe after he was shown a red card in round 16.
Cessnock City Hornets v Thornton Redbacks
Turner Park, Saturday 2pm
Cessnock City Hornets will look to escape the risk of relegation when they welcome Thornton Redbacks to Turner Park on Saturday afternoon.
The Hornets will be on a high as they enter the weekend after they defeated Toronto Awaba 2-1 in round 16.
The win saw them move to eighth on the table before falling back to ninth on Wednesday night after Wallsend FC defeated Dudley Redhead United in their round 17 clash.
Cessnock sit two points ahead of South Cardiff FC in 10th with a better goal difference.
A draw this weekend will see Cessnock remain in ninth no matter the result of South Cardiff, but they will be eager to replicate their round 16 performance and move as high as sixth depending on the results of the teams around them.
The Hornets will be without Flynn Reeks after he was shown a red card in round 16.
Thornton will enter the weekend looking to return to the winners’ circle after back-to-back draws in recent weeks.
The Redbacks sit seventh on the table, three points outside the top four, but have the worst goal difference of the sides sitting between third and seventh.
A win this weekend would keep alive their hopes of appearing in the Promotion/Relegation Play-Off Finals series but would be dependent on the results around them.
They will look to repeat their round eight victory when they defeated the Hornets 1-0 after Zac Skippen was able to find the back of the net.
The Redbacks will be without Sam Rossi after he was shown a red card in round 16 and Josh Gorman after he received a two-match suspension for yellow card accumulation.
South Cardiff FC v Toronto Awaba
Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility Field Two, Saturday 8pm
A side looking to keep their automatic promotion hopes alive and a side looking to escape relegation will go head-to-head when Toronto Awaba face South Cardiff FC at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility on Saturday night.
Toronto Awaba will want to return to winning ways after they were handed their third loss of the season when Cessnock City Hornets downed them 2-1 in round 16.
The loss saw the Stags lose grip of automatic promotion, but a win this weekend could see them push Kahibah FC until the last weekend depending on their round 17 result.
The last time Toronto faced South Cardiff, they defeated the Gunners 6-0 with four different goalscorers getting their name on the board.
Toronto will remain second no matter the final result on Saturday, but they will be eager to replicate their round eight performance and end the season on a winning streak.
They will be without Kade Howland after he was shown a red card in round 16.
South Cardiff sit last on the table and most in contention to be the first side relegated from the HIT106.9 Northern League One competition.
The Gunners are two points behind Cessnock City Hornets in ninth and four behind Wallsend FC in eighth.
A loss this weekend could solidify the side going down to Zone League One pending the result of the Hornets.
They will look to complete a full 180 from their round eight defeat and secure three points to remain in the competition.
Kahibah FC v Singleton Strikers
Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility Field Two , Sunday 12pm
Kahibah FC could lock in automatic promotion when they face Singleton Strikers at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility on Sunday afternoon.
Kahibah will enter round 17 four points clear of Toronto Awaba with just two matches to play.
A win would extend that gap to seven and, regardless of a Toronto Awaba victory, would secure them automatic promotion to the NPL Men’s NNSW competition in 2026.
But a draw or a loss this weekend for Kahibah and a win for Toronto will see the fight for promotion go until the final weekend.
The Rams have been the team to beat in the second half of the season, having not dropped points since their round eight 1-1 draw with Singleton.
Their eight-game unbeaten streak saw them launch to the top of the table and have remained there since.
Kahibah will come out determined to do one better than their 1-1 draw earlier in the season and secure not only all three points but promotion this weekend.
Singleton will hope to lock in a spot in the Promotion/Relegation Play-Off Finals series this weekend.
They sit third on the table and are unable to reach any higher.
But a win this weekend would further secure their spot on the table and their fight to feature in the play-off final.
The Strikers will take confidence into the match knowing they are the last side to take points from the league leaders.
They will look to recreate that performance and hand the Rams their first loss since the beginning of May.
Wallsend FC 3-1 Dudley Redhead United
Ladbroke Gardens, Wednesday 6pm
Wallsend FC and Dudley Redhead United took the field on Wednesday night due to forecasted wet weather.
Wallsend downed Dudley 3-1 after being held scoreless in the first half and boosted them to eighth on the table.
