Round 20 Preview – NPL Women’s NSW

The action in the National Premier Leagues Women’s NSW competition kicks off with three games on Saturday afternoon in round 20 action.

Only six points separate the top six teams with two points between the first four.

NWS Spirit v Manly United @Christie Park, Saturday 3pm

There will be much on the line at Christie Park on Saturday afternoon in the first match of the round as NWS Spirit host Manly United.

Tony Candy’s team are four games without a win and drifting away from the Top Four and finals football.

A victory here and that gap to the those above them closes once more, concretely to Manly who sit in fourth place.

Manly showed proper character coming from two behind on Sunday to secure a point against Sydney Olympic.

With three points here they more or less end Spirit’s hopes of finals and put themselves one step closer to post-season football.

UNSW v Sydney Olympic @The Village Green, Saturday 3:15pm

UNSW take on Sydney Olympic at The Village Green at the unusual time and day slot of Saturday at 3:15pm.

Any points dropped or lost by UNSW will end their finals chances and they don’t get much trickier than this task against Sydney Olympic.

They came away with an important win against the WSW thanks to an Abbey Lemon goal and will need some more of that magic this weekend.

Just as people were beginning to think that Sydney Olympic was going to do the unthinkable, they have now gone three games without a win.

On Sunday they had three points in their pocket but let a two-goal lead slip.

Nevertheless, they have proven they have the quality to be able to beat any team in this competition.

Northern Tigers v Gladesville Ravens @NTRA, Saturday 6:15pm – MOTR

At North Turramurra Rec Area on Saturday night, the Northern Tigers host the Gladesville Ravens.

After going four games on the bounce without a victory, the Northern Tigers got back to winning ways in fine fashion.

Across the park they were strong and needed to be in order to secure an important win which still gives them some hope of finals football.

Chris Wood and his team are aware that they need to win at least another five games to give them a chance.

The Ravens have hit good form but it seems to be too little too late for finals, currently on a five-match unbeaten run.

They managed to hold two teams in the top four over the last few weeks, one of those the league leading Mt Druitt Town Rangers.

Illawarra Stingrays v Bulls FC Academy @Macedonia Park, Sunday 3:15pm

The Illawarra Stingrays welcome Bulls FC Academy down the south coast on Sunday afternoon at Macedonia Park.

The Stingrays are league leaders after 19 rounds and come into this game full of confidence.

Currently on a four-game win streak, this top of the table clash is crucial for the Stingrays to remain top of the pile.

They defeated Sydney Olympic mid-week in an epic before backing up and getting the job done with the odd-goal against the Newcastle Jets.

The Bulls returned straight to winning ways after their first defeat in 11 games, defeating NWS Spirit 2-1.

Amber Luchtmeijer found herself on the scoresheet after a goal-drought that lasted almost a month and will hope to be finding form at the right time for the Bulls.

A win here and the Bulls will return to the summit.

Newcastle Jets v APIA Leichhardt @Lake Macquarie, Sunday 5pm

APIA Leichhardt have the long trip north where they take on the Newcastle Jets at Lake Macquarie on Sunday at 5pm.

The Jets struggled on the weekend with another loss, albeit much closer, their losing streak now stretching to 10 games.

APIA have reacted well since their defeat to UNSW, winning three games in a row and moving to fifth place, just outside the Top Four.

They have a Sapphire Cup final to contend with mid-week before this long trip on Sunday evening.

They cannot afford to drop any points here, in particular knowing they lost to the Jets last time they did battle.

Western Sydney Wanderers v Macarthur Rams @Wanderers Football Park, Sunday 5pm

On Sunday evening, the Western Sydney Wanderers host the Macarthur Rams at Wanderers Football Park.

The Wanderers are going through a rough patch of form, winless in their last six outings and dropping to 12th on the ladder.

They are in a good position in terms of the relegation battle and are in a safe position in their first season.

After two consecutive wins, the Rams were brought back down to earth with a humbling defeat on Sunday at the hands of the Northern Tigers.

In comparison to their rivals, they still have some work to do to ensure safety and points here are vital in that battle.

Sydney University v Mt Druitt Town Rangers @Sydney Uni, Sunday 5pm

The Mt Druitt Town Rangers travel to Sydney University on Sunday at 5pm.

They were the giant killers for three straight weeks until they failed to get the job done against APIA on Sunday, albeit after a seven-goal thriller.

University have another opportunity this weekend to put that tag back around their necks when they face off against Mt Druitt.

Talia Kapetanelis has been in phenomenal form and once again looked fantastic last Sunday.

The Rangers have a difficult few weeks coming up, starting with a Sapphire Cup final on Thursday, along with a couple rescheduled fixtures to complete.

Despite a shortened roster and the tough run of fixtures, the Rangers remain in a good position and in third place.

Their veteran Leena Khamis is in excellent form and Ben Gough’s team will look to push on in the final third of what has been an incredible season for the newly promoted team.

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-By Nikola Pozder