Match of the Round
Toronto Awaba FC v West Wallsend SFC
Lyall Peacock Oval, Saturday 2:30pm
West Wallsend SFC coach Bailey Cox expects a tough battle this Saturday when they travel to Lyall Peacock Oval to face Toronto Awaba.
The Stags were at home in last weekend’s main event where they defeated Belmont Swansea 2-1 before backing up on Tuesday as they travelled to The Gardens and defeated Wallsend 4-0 in a rescheduled round 20 clash.
Those results saw Toronto Awaba climb to second, but they dropped to third on Wednesday when Kahibah beat West Wallsend 4-1 in a rescheduled round 14 match at Kahibah Oval.
Kahibah is now on 35 points, while Toronto (33) and Westy (32) are third and fourth with a game in hand on the second-placed side.
This weekend’s match offers both teams the opportunity to move up into second position on the table.
This game is also an important one as the two sides look to fend off the attempts of Singleton (28) and South Cardiff (27) to climb their way into the top four during the final month of the regular season.
For West Wallsend, they are determined to return to the winners’ circle after their nine-game undefeated run came crashing down against Kahibah on Wednesday.
The Bluebells led 1-0 early in that game when Spencer Clarke netted for the third time in as many games, but he was sent off three minutes after his early goal and Westy played 80 minutes with 10 men.
Coach Bailey Cox is hoping to have Clarke available on Saturday as Westy is appealing his card, but they will definitely be without Sam Marr after he came off injured on Wednesday.
The Bluebells’ coach is expecting a tough match against one of the best sides in the competition and is well aware of the significance of picking up three points.
“It’ll be the same as every time we play Toronto. They’re going to be up for it,” Cox predicted.
“I don’t think we’ve ever had a bad game against them in recent years. It’s always a good fight and a good battle. They play aggressive football and they’ll try to play through us. It’ll be a pretty good game to watch.
“I don’t want to see anything different from our guys. Even though we got beat 4-1, we still showed a lot of ticker. I couldn’t fault the boys’ effort and their heart. Nothing changes for us.
“Every game for us for the rest of the season is so important now. It’s all jammed up and Singo and Southy are close behind us too. Every game is a big game.”
Toronto Awaba will be heading into the game in the search for their third consecutive win and there will be a big crowd cheering them on towards it as the club hosts its old boys’ day.
The Stags’ coach Jarrad Hiles has liked what he has seen from his men during back-to-back wins and has challenged them to kick on with it against the Bluebells.
“Old boys’ day is always a good day. Hopefully, we get a few down there,” Hiles said.
“It’s always a good day at home against Westy as well because they bring a fair few supporters and the games are always close. We’re looking forward to it.
“They are a good football team who don’t give you any time or space on the ball. They close you down pretty quick and they are a threat going forward too. They have pace and they’re solid all over the park.
“The last match we played against them was nil-all and we were lucky to get away with a point because they dominated most of that match. We’ll need to make sure we’re on our game to match it with them.”
Toronto Awaba will be without Nick Roberts and Damon Green after they each recently picked up their fifth yellow cards of the campaign and are suspended, while fellow attacking weapon Jarrod Purcell is in doubt after suffering an injury on Tuesday.
Belmont Swansea United FC v Wallsend FC
Blacksmiths Oval, Saturday 2:30pm
Belmont Swansea United coach Mick Stafford is excited to celebrate their premiership and promotion on their old boys’ day when they host Wallsend FC on Blacksmiths Oval.
BelSwans have been cruising towards a first-place finish and promotion all season, having won 16 of their first 21 games to go with two draws and just three losses.
They have scored 76 goals, which is 30 more than second-placed Kahibah, and they have also conceded just 20 goals at a rate of less than one a game.
Their first top-grade premiership since 1984 was confirmed on Wednesday night when West Wallsend lost 4-1 in a rescheduled round 14 match at Kahibah Oval and it became mathematically impossible for BelSwans to be caught,
Stafford was filled with a sense of relief and pride.
“I’m very relieved and also appreciative of everyone who has worked hard to get us there. It’s just such a good feeling,” Stafford said.
“This club means a lot to a lot of people. There are a lot of people who put in a lot of time and effort, and it’s great to see some reward for that.
“It’s going to be a benefit to have an NPL club in our community, especially for all the kids coming through. It’s a testament to a lot of people’s hard work over the past eight or nine years.
“It’ll be great there on Saturday on old boys’ day, with people who have all played a part in getting us here. The nerves are out of it now, so we can relax and celebrate but still play some good football and show the crowd that we deserve to be where we are.”
Stafford said the club’s next goal was to ensure their reserve grade side, which is currently on top with a 13-point lead, also secures a first-place finish. A win on Saturday would see them achieve that.
For Wallsend, they arrive at Blacksmiths Oval on Saturday searching for their second win of the season, and they are determined to spoil BelSwans’ celebrations and also avoid a clean sweep against the premiers.
Cessnock City Hornets v South Cardiff FC
Turner Park, Saturday 4pm
Saturday’s action will wrap up at Turner Park where Cessnock City Hornets host South Cardiff FC in a match that will finish under lights.
Cessnock are out of promotion playoff contention but has been producing some quality football of late as they look to end the season on a high.
They have won their past two games and can make it three in a row for the first time this season if they get the job done against South Cardiff.
The Hornets are eighth on the table and can finish the weekend just two points behind seventh-placed Thornton if they are able to score their seventh win of the campaign.
The Gunners are still in contention for a top-four spot and a place in the promotion playoff battle, but they need to bounce back from a two-game losing streak immediately.
They only have four games remaining in the 2024 season and are likely going to need to win them all to finish third or fourth.
A close contest is expected at Turner Park this Saturday given Cessnock and Southy’s recent history. The Gunners prevailed 2-1 at Turner Park in round seven before the duo contested a goalless draw at Ulinga Oval in round 16.
Kahibah FC v Singleton Strikers FC
Kahibah Oval, Sunday 2:30pm
Round 25 will conclude at Kahibah Oval on Sunday afternoon when Kahibah FC host Singleton Strikers in a match that will have a significant impact on both teams’ top-four chances.
Kahibah took back second place on the table from Toronto Awaba after beating West Wallsend 4-1 in a rescheduled round 14 match at Kahibah Oval on Wednesday night.
They went behind early but scored two goals either side of half-time to earn a hard-fought three-goal win.
Mat Moncrieff’s men are now on 35 points and have four games remaining with teams close behind, a win on Sunday almost guarantees them a spot in the top four.
For Singleton, three straight wins before last weekend’s bye have launched them into fifth place and into top-four contention.
But Kahibah is seven points ahead of them while Toronto Awaba and West Wallsend both have a game in hand on them, making this Sunday’s fixture a must-win match for Doug West’s side.
Singleton is yet to score against Kahibah this year, having gone down 4-0 to them in round seven at Kahibah Oval and then 3-0 in round 16 at Howe Park. The Strikers are desperate to turn that around this Sunday and avoid a clean sweep.
Thornton Redbacks FC have the bye.
