Blacktown Spartans or West Sydney Berries? Who will be premiers? We may know a lot more come Sunday afternoon.
Lidcombe Oval at 3pm will tell all when the two challengers meet head to head.
Just two rounds to go and there is little between them as we count down the final fortnight. This is do or die for the Berries with a loss handing the Premiership to the Spartans. The Spartans would probably take the draw here but following Hills Brumbies’ surprise victory over Macarthur at Lynwood Park on Tuesday night, they would want to be careful about leaving it to the last week. A win to the Berries would put them top going into the final weekend, the tension is bound to be thick in the air in at Lidcombe.
Macarthur Rams have stumbled badly in the past week and it would take a miracle now for them to take the title. Their midweek loss to Hills caused a shock but they will need to pick themselves up very quickly before meeting Central Coast on Sunday. There is still a very slim chance that they could go on with it but quite unlikely now.
While there is naturally plenty of interest at the very top of the table, there is still plenty of action just below with the final five well short of being decided. Fourth placed St George travel the short distance to Pagewood to meet Sydney University. Uni slipped out of the finals race last weekend after losing at Spartans but they will be keen to finish off the season as best as possible. That is their intention and the Saints won’t want to take them lightly. This should be an entertaining match, the excellent surface at Hensley Field should see these two ball-playing sides put on a display.
In fifth, Northern Tigers meet the travelling Spirit FC. The Tigers’ win over Granville last Sunday has put them in the box seat and it is in their hands now. Spirit, the 2009 champions, need to take all three points if they are to have any chance of playing finals this year, so expect caution to be thrown aside as Spirit search for goals. They will need to be at their best to overcome the Tigers though. This match will kick off at the slightly later time of 3.30pm.
Granville Rage haven’t given up hope. It wasn’t the best of results against the Tigers but a victory against Hills Brumbies on Sunday will see them play it out right to the final week. They can still entertain thoughts of overtaking either or both of Northern Tigers and St George should results go their way and with the Saints and Northern Tigers meeting in the last week, anything can happen. Kris Holbrook, too, has a personal interest in the final two weeks, being three clear in the Golden Boot race. He will be keen to take that mantle. Hills will be cock-a-hoop after their stunning victory over the Rams and will be sure to enjoy having a say in who makes the finals and, indeed, who wins the Premiership.
There is plenty of local pride at stake when Fraser Park meet Dulwich Hill. Both sides escaped the relegation spot and can relax at last. This is always a tight affair against these two friendly foes and with Dulwich Hill on something of a roll, they have their sights set on Sydney University. Fraser Park need the three points to overtake Dully, and after their excellent win over Spirit FC last weekend, they have the means to do so.
Macarthur Rams v Hills Brumbies
Rescheduled Round 14
Hills Brumbies caused another major shock when they all but ended Macarthur Rams’ title hopes with a 1-0 win at Lynwood Park on Tuesday night.
It was not a result that many would have been expecting, perhaps except Hills themselves, but the single goal by Brendan Mitrovich, off the underside of the bar following a corner, right on half time was enough.
The Rams did have a number of chances to take the lead themselves in the first half but failed to finish. The result means that Macarthur stay third and remain four points behind Blacktown Spartans with two games to play.
Mark Abi-Arrage was thrilled with the win.
“That was a very disciplined performance”, he stated. “We kept possession and stayed on the ball, we had a lot of good players out there tonight”.
“We have always tried to play football, and we knew that the results would come. It is a bit disappointing that we didn’t do it more often but when we turned up tonight, we set out to achieve what we could in the remaining three games. We would like to have a say in who wins the title”.
Macarthur Rams 0 v Hills Brumbies 1 (Brendan Mitrovich 45+2’)
-By Peter Rowney
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