After three weeks on the road, our NPL NSW side returns to Wanderers Football Park as they face newly promoted St George FC on Saturday.
The boys recorded perhaps their gutsiest win in recent memory last week, as they took down Wollongong Wolves in a top of the table clash without most of their senior players.
Late goals from Ryley Hollingdale and Leon Alizart secured a 2-0 victory that preserved the Wanderers’ lead at the top of the table.
With many of the eight players who missed last week’s clash set to return to the side this weekend, the Red and Black will fancy themselves to win a fifth game on the bounce, something they have never achieved in the NPL NSW competition before.
Whilst Nathaneal Blair, Zac Sapsford, and Marcus Younis have been impressive in recent weeks with their goalscoring form, credit must go to the likes of Hollingdale and Adam Bugarija, who stepped up to fill the void left by their experienced teammates on the weekend and who have chipped in with goals this season.
Goalkeeper Taiga Harper also had his best game of the season, pulling off several crucial saves to deny the Wolves as the Wanderers also kept their first clean sheet of the season.
They will hope for another one against a St George side that only has seven goals so far this season and just one win to their name.
They have had some credible results, with a win over our crosstown rivals and fighting draws against St George City and APIA Leichhardt FC, but big defeats to Manly United and Rockdale have pushed them down the table.
Troy Danaskos and Patrick O’Shea will look to use their experience on Saturday night to marshal the troops around the field, whilst Anthony Morabito is an attacking weapon who could make a strong impact either in the starting side or from the bench.
The teams last met in the 2022 FNSW League One season, with the Wanderers winning both fixtures.
NPL NSW Round Eight
Western Sydney Wanderers FC vs St George FC
Saturday 31st March 2023, 7pm
Wanderers Football Park
