This Sunday sees an interesting set of fixtures for Round 2 of the Shadows / Belgiorno Cup. Sharks take on Inter at Shark Park, Millicent make the long road trip to Naracoorte, Gambier Centrals host Apollo in the match of the round, and Blue Lake travel to Portland.
Group A
SHARKS v INTER
Inter will see this as a danger game. They will not have the best preparation due to the WBSA senior select squad game against the Riverland Friday night. Inter have a number of players making the trip to Adelaide and then fronting up again Sunday; on top of that young gun Ryan Lewis has a serious knee injury.
Fortunately they have enough class to cover this and with the skill of players like Bonner, Galloway, Osman and co they will not let this game slip away.
The Sharks on their day are very good and have Lennon, Da Rocha and Weistra in top form, but they sometimes lack the cohesion needed to trouble the big clubs. They have had a lot of players out in recent matches and it will depend on their availability to whether they are able to come away with any points.
The one area that Inter are having issues with is the goalkeeper. Von Duve is still a couple of weeks from returning and stand in keeper Vorwerk strained a hamstring last week. Brett Reid comes in and I am sure that his experience will hold him in good stead.
I think that Inter would come away with all three points, but it won't be as comfortable as the 7-0 score line the last time that they met.
Lew's prediction Sharks 1-4 International
NARACOORTE v MILLICENT
Millicent would be extremely disappointed to have come so close to Inter for the second time this year with nothing to show for it. Unfortunately for Naracoorte Millicent will be pumped up for this game to keep them in touch of a finals berth.
Gregetic and Saint have been in top form recently, and both are causing opposition defences all sorts of trouble.
Naracoorte will also be desperate to get a win to give them any chance of snatching a top two spot, however with Inter in the last round of qualifying they would need to take all three points in this game. With players like Marshall, Esposito I am sure that they will give their all but I don't think it will be enough.
Lew's prediction: Naracoorte 1-4 Millicent
Group B
GAMBIER CENTRALS v APOLLO
This is the match of the round, and it should be an absolute cracker of a game. Centrals come off of a good win at Portland while Apollo only managed a draw against Blue Lake.
Apollo know that they must win this game or they could go out of finals contention, while Centrals know that if they win they are all but guaranteed a finals berth. Centrals won't want to leave it until the third round against Blue Lake to claim that finals position.
There is class and youth all over the pitch for both of these sides. Both sides are capable of free flowing soccer and have many avenues to goals. Centrals have had the wood over Apollo in recent times. Ferguson read the riot act to his young charges after the draw last week and they will be eager to atone for this.
Lew's prediction Gambier Centrals 3-3 Apollo
PORTLAND v BLUE LAKE
Blue Lake were disappointed not to come away with all three points against Apollo last week, and will be trying to come home from Portland with a win. Blue Lake will again be without regular keeper Armandi, however Davison has been doing a terrific job in his absence.
Portland responded well after their 18-0 thumping from Inter two weeks ago to be competitive last week. They will have an unchanged line up this week and also know that they can forget finals if they lose this game.
In this corresponding game last year Portland surprised the Blues with an amazing come back win. After being down 1-4 they came back to win 6-4. I am sure that Blue's coach Ferguson will not allow that to happen again, and Blue Lake should come home with a 5-0 win, as I think it will be too hard for Portland to stop Ferguson, Thomson and Guess from scoring.
At the other end Branstone, Domaschenz and Reiner have been very solid and although Portland are improving I don't think that they have the forwards to penetrate this line.
Lew's prediction: Portland 0-5 Blue Lake
Submitted by Lew Ferguson
Group A
SHARKS v INTER
Inter will see this as a danger game. They will not have the best preparation due to the WBSA senior select squad game against the Riverland Friday night. Inter have a number of players making the trip to Adelaide and then fronting up again Sunday; on top of that young gun Ryan Lewis has a serious knee injury.
Fortunately they have enough class to cover this and with the skill of players like Bonner, Galloway, Osman and co they will not let this game slip away.
The Sharks on their day are very good and have Lennon, Da Rocha and Weistra in top form, but they sometimes lack the cohesion needed to trouble the big clubs. They have had a lot of players out in recent matches and it will depend on their availability to whether they are able to come away with any points.
The one area that Inter are having issues with is the goalkeeper. Von Duve is still a couple of weeks from returning and stand in keeper Vorwerk strained a hamstring last week. Brett Reid comes in and I am sure that his experience will hold him in good stead.
I think that Inter would come away with all three points, but it won't be as comfortable as the 7-0 score line the last time that they met.
Lew's prediction Sharks 1-4 International
NARACOORTE v MILLICENT
Millicent would be extremely disappointed to have come so close to Inter for the second time this year with nothing to show for it. Unfortunately for Naracoorte Millicent will be pumped up for this game to keep them in touch of a finals berth.
Gregetic and Saint have been in top form recently, and both are causing opposition defences all sorts of trouble.
Naracoorte will also be desperate to get a win to give them any chance of snatching a top two spot, however with Inter in the last round of qualifying they would need to take all three points in this game. With players like Marshall, Esposito I am sure that they will give their all but I don't think it will be enough.
Lew's prediction: Naracoorte 1-4 Millicent
Group B
GAMBIER CENTRALS v APOLLO
This is the match of the round, and it should be an absolute cracker of a game. Centrals come off of a good win at Portland while Apollo only managed a draw against Blue Lake.
Apollo know that they must win this game or they could go out of finals contention, while Centrals know that if they win they are all but guaranteed a finals berth. Centrals won't want to leave it until the third round against Blue Lake to claim that finals position.
There is class and youth all over the pitch for both of these sides. Both sides are capable of free flowing soccer and have many avenues to goals. Centrals have had the wood over Apollo in recent times. Ferguson read the riot act to his young charges after the draw last week and they will be eager to atone for this.
Lew's prediction Gambier Centrals 3-3 Apollo
PORTLAND v BLUE LAKE
Blue Lake were disappointed not to come away with all three points against Apollo last week, and will be trying to come home from Portland with a win. Blue Lake will again be without regular keeper Armandi, however Davison has been doing a terrific job in his absence.
Portland responded well after their 18-0 thumping from Inter two weeks ago to be competitive last week. They will have an unchanged line up this week and also know that they can forget finals if they lose this game.
In this corresponding game last year Portland surprised the Blues with an amazing come back win. After being down 1-4 they came back to win 6-4. I am sure that Blue's coach Ferguson will not allow that to happen again, and Blue Lake should come home with a 5-0 win, as I think it will be too hard for Portland to stop Ferguson, Thomson and Guess from scoring.
At the other end Branstone, Domaschenz and Reiner have been very solid and although Portland are improving I don't think that they have the forwards to penetrate this line.
Lew's prediction: Portland 0-5 Blue Lake
Submitted by Lew Ferguson
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