Round 12 Preview

Last weekend’s wash-out means we start the second half of the season with every IPL team needing to fit in one catch-up game over the coming weeks. The enforced rest has given players nursing injuries another week to get back to fitness without missing a match, but for the bulk of the squads, it’s a frustrating gap in a season that’s in full flow.

Let’s hope we get a few dry days before Round 12 kicks off on Friday night to give some of those saturated pitches time to recover.

The luck of the draw this weekend sees 1^st v 2^nd on Monday afternoon, with 3^rd v 4^th and 5^th v 6^th on Saturday. And don’t forget, these are all reverse fixtures from Round 1 back in March, so a test for all teams to see how far they have progressed since then.

Match of the round

Kemblawarra Fury v Bulli FC @ Albert Butler Memorial Park – kick-off 2.30pm, Monday 13 June

It’s first v second at Albert Butler Memorial Park on Monday afternoon, in one of the ties that could have a significant bearing on the final placings in this season’s Illawarra Mercury Premier League. These two have pulled six points clear of the field after ten rounds, with only goal difference giving Bulli the edge.

Since the 0-0 draw between these teams in Round 1, both Bulli and the Fury have been scoring freely, with 48 goals between them. With the likes of Julian Minutillo, Dylan Lewis and Ben McDonald on one side and Robbie Shields and Matthew McNab on the other, there surely can’t be a repeat of the goalless scoreline this time around.

But defence is key to both these sides’ success and they’ve conceded barely a goal a game each, so it’ll take a bit of creative genius out of midfield or a stroke of brilliance in front of goal to find a way through. It will be a fascinating battle to watch.

I’m going to come down on the side of the Fury to make home advantage count, but it will be tight.

Friday 10 June

Cringila Lions v Woonona FC @ Crehan Park – kick-off 8.00pm

The Sharks have not won since the reverse fixture at Ocean Park in Round One, when they started the season so promisingly with a 3-0 victory over this weekend’s opponents. Hayden Nicol, Ryo Suzuki and Sho Tadokoro were Woonona’s scorers that day, but the Sharks have only netted seven times in nine games since then, so they need a bit of magic, maybe from the Suzuki/Tadokoro partnership to help them stop the rot that has seen them plummet to last on the ladder going into this match.

A couple of useful draws in May have given the Sharks hope, but this is a crucial game if they are to restart their season and claw themselves back up the league.

Last week’s washout couldn’t have come at a better time for the Lions, who have now had time to regroup after conceding eleven goals in their previous two matches. Those losses have seen Cringila drop to ninth in the ladder and they’ll want to avoid defeat this weekend or they could slip further down.

Daniel Atkins scored in the equivalent fixture last season and he is the Lions’ top scorer in 2016 with five goals to his name. I’m tipping the Lions to restore their pride in this one with a victory by one.

Fixtures on Saturday 11 June

Wollongong United v Wollongong Olympic @ Macedonia Park - kick-off 2.30pm

When these two sides met on the first day of the IPL season, the match ended 2-2, with Olympic letting a two goal lead slip in the last few minutes. Nine games later, they are still neck and neck, even on goal difference, with United claiming third spot in the ladder by virtue of having scored three goals more than Olympic.

Olympic’s opening goal in Round 1 came from Yusuke Ueda, who has knocked in another six since, making him one of the IPL’s leading scorers in 2016.

United’s goals are much more evenly distributed across the squad. Johnny Martinoski scored in the equivalent fixture last season which United won 3-0, and he also began the United comeback in that opening tie in Round 1 this year. But Olympic will also need to keep an eye on United defender Ben Brooks, who came up to nick the equalizer in time added on in that 2-2 draw and is always a danger in the set pieces.

I predict United to take the three points this time, but I’d be very surprised if the margin is as wide as it was in 2015.

Tarrawanna Blueys v Picton Rangers @ Tarrawanna Oval – kick-off 2.30pm

The battle for fifth place hots up this weekend as fifth takes on sixth at Tarrawanna Oval. The Blueys ran out 4-1 winners in Round 1, giving Picton a baptism of fire on their return to the Premier League.

Tarrawanna won four of their first five matches in the IPL this season, but have not won since Round 5, and most worryingly of all for coach Peter Willis, the goals seem to have dried up, with only two scored in their last three league matches.

The rain break was well-timed for Tarrawanna, though, after three defeats on the trot. A win would take the Blueys back into the play off positions.

Picton are a hard side to beat, though, and I can see the Rangers looking to take revenge for that opening day drubbing at Hume Oval. Picton are also due a win as it’s not since Round 6 that the Rangers have a W in their results column.

This is a tough match to predict, and a lot may depend on who’s available to play on the day. I’m going to sit on the fence here and call it a draw.

Fixtures on Sunday 12 June

Port Kembla FC v Albion Park White Eagles @ Wetherall Park – kick-off 2.30pm

At the start of the season, many would have penned these two as contenders for top five spots by September. That may still happen, and if results go the White Eagles’ way this weekend, they could jump from seventh into fifth. But it’s a long haul for Port Kembla, who are still recovering from their dreadful start to the 2016 campaign.

Port lost the opening day fixture 1-0, but then only scored once in the following three rounds. Since Sandy Lowcock moved up to the First Grade squad, Port have twice demolished the opposition and Lowcock finds himself joint top scorer in the IPL with eight goals to his name.

The White Eagles clearly took a few lessons from their 5-1 defeat to Olympic in Round 7 and haven’t lost since, which is why they are still hopeful of achieving a top five slot by the end of this weekend. In Shohei Okuno, they have a scorer and playmaker, so Peter Richardson will need to keep his back four alert when Okuno has the ball.

Another tight fixture this one, which could go either way, but I’m going for a home win this time by a single goal.

South Coast United v Shell Cove FC @ Ian McLellan Park – kick-off 3.00pm

For South Coast United, last week’s washout couldn’t have come at a worse time. After a disastrous start to the season, United were the in-form team after Round 10, including the scalp of Kemblawarra Fury in a three match unbeaten run. The two week break not only meant they missed out on a game at WIN Stadium, but there’s a risk they lose momentum that has seen them hot on the heels of the teams just above them.

Greg Valic’s side still needs a result this weekend to ensure they don’t drop back to last place on the ladder, but if he has kept morale high that should be on the cards, and who would bet against Liam Unicomb getting his name on the scoresheet again this season?

Shell Cove’s Daniel Vellonio made a bit of a name for himself on his IPL debut in Round 1, showing his talent by scoring Shell Cove’s second of the game, but then revealing his fiery temperament with a red card just a minute later. Vellonio and Kurdvan Abduljabbar are now Shell Cove’s equal top scorers with three apiece, but Shell Cove are another side who can produce a goal threat from across the park (nine of the team they fielded in Round 10 have scored this season already).

This should be another tight game, but I predict South Coast to come out on top this time.

By Simon Duffin

Photo:Pedro Garcia (library archive)