Match of the Round
Wallsend FC v Thornton Redbacks
Ladbroke Gardens, Sunday 18 May
Wallsend and Thornton will attempt to escape the logjam on the HIT106.9 Northern League One table when they meet on Sunday.
Thornton arrive at Ladbroke Gardens having secured a vital 1-0 victory over Cessnock City last weekend. That result saw them join a group of four teams from seventh place to 10th on seven points. Meaning last-placed Wallsend are only four points away from the top four and a potential place in the Promotion/Relegation Play-Off Finals Series.
The win was the Redbacks’ second of the campaign, with Zac Skippen’s second half match winner keeping his side in touch with the chasing pack.
Wallsend would have been disappointed to see their trip to Lydon Oval to face Dudley Redhead United washed out last weekend as the Red Devils looked to build on their impressive 2-0 victory over West Wallsend in the Wallsend Derby.
A win for either side could take them within touching distance of the top four, though how much football is played this weekend due to wet weather remains to be seen.
Thornton were dominant when the sides met last season, securing a 4-1 win at Ladbroke Gardens in round six and a 4-0 win at home in round 24. The sides also played out a 2-2 draw when they met in their round 15 clash in early August.
Toronto Awaba FC v Lake Macquarie City FC
Lyall Peacock Oval, Friday 16 May
Toronto Awaba will look to take another step towards promotion when they host Lake Macquarie City on Friday night.
The Stags are seven points clear at the top of the HIT106.9 Northern League One table, though they have played a game more than the rest of the top six.
That includes their two main rivals for automation promotion in Kahibah on 14 points and Lakes who are a further two points back.
A win for Toronto Awaba at Lyall Peacock Oval would see them open up a 12-point gap on Lakes at the midway point of the season. With Lakes having played NPL Men’s NNSW football last season, it was expected that they would be one of the serious contenders for a return to the top division.
Toronto Awaba were impressive in their 6-0 drubbing of South Cardiff last Friday night, with Nick Roberts scoring twice to move himself into second place in the race for the golden boot with his fifth and sixth goals of the campaign.
Though Lake Macquarie City will be looking to build on their own momentum having scored an incredible 5-4 win over West Wallsend last weekend in one of the games of the season so far.
Lakes trailed by two goals twice in the match before equalising through substitute Markus Wolscher in the 87th minute. Cade Thomson then notched the winner two minutes later to spark wild celebrations at Johnston Park.
Lakes coach Peter Preston will hope the euphoria of that result will carry his side into Friday night’s clash, with the opportunity to slash the gap to Toronto Awaba to just six points, with Lakes holding a game in hand.
Cessnock City Hornets v Kahibah FC
Turner Park, Saturday 4.30pm
Kahibah will see a chance to strengthen their own place in the promotion race when they travel to Turner Park to take on Cessnock City on Saturday.
Blair Newham’s side were held to a 1-1 draw by Singleton last weekend to slip seven points behind leaders Toronto Awaba.
But with the Stags hosting third placed Lake Macquarie City on Friday night, a win for Kahibah against the Hornets would see them either reduce the gap to Toronto Awaba to just four points or open up a five-point advantage on Lakes.
Kahibah would also retain their match in hand over Toronto Awaba.
Cessnock missed the chance to remove themselves from the logjam at the foot of the table when they went down 2-0 to Dudley Redhead United in their rescheduled round six match on Wednesday night.
The loss at Turner Park was the Hornets’ fourth in a row and second in four days after they slipped to a 1-0 defeat to Thornton on Sunday.
Sources of goals appear to be Cessnock City’s biggest problem. The Hornets have scored just eight times so far this campaign, with the competition’s leading scorer Zac Kronholm having scored seven of them.
Cessnock are one of the four clubs stuck on seven points and, with relegation returning to the HIT106.9 Northern League One competition this season, the Hornets will need to improve quickly if they are to keep themselves safe from the drop.
South Cardiff FC v Singleton Strikers
Ulinga Oval, Saturday 7.30pm
Singleton will look to maintain their place in the top four when they take on South Cardiff on Saturday night.
The Strikers are fourth on the HIT106.9 Northern League One table after Joshua Frazer Whitten scored a 90th minute equaliser to secure a valuable point against fellow promotion hopefuls Kahibah last weekend.
They will need more of that resilience against a South Cardiff side left licking its wounds following a 6-0 thrashing at the hands of league leaders Toronto Awaba on Friday night.
The Gunners were humbled by the Stags and will need to bounce back quickly to avoid being sucked further into the relegation battle.
South Cardiff are a point above the logjam of teams on seven points at the foot of the table, though a win for the Gunners at Ulinga Oval would see them draw level on points with fourth-placed Singleton and put themselves squarely in the Promotion/Relegation Play-Off Finals Series picture.
Dudley Redhead United v West Wallsend SFC
Lydon Oval, Sunday 2pm
Dudley Redhead United will have their sights set on a place in the top four when they host West Wallsend on Sunday.
The Thistles were washed out when they were due to host Wallsend last Sunday, so were fresh for their rescheduled round six match with Cessnock City at Turner Park on Wednesday night.
An early goal from Kyle D’Agostino and Dane Falcioni’s late effort sealed a valuable three points for Dudley Redhead that saw them climb to fifth, one point outside the top four.
West Wallsend meanwhile will need to bounce back quickly from their deflating 5-4 defeat to Lake Macquarie City last weekend.
The Bluebells twice threw away a two-goal advantage before conceding twice in the last three minutes to complete a forgettable collapse.
A win would have had West Wallsend in fifth place and looking up the table. But the defeat saw them remain in as part of the group of sides at the foot of the table on seven points.
