Image: Smile for Peter
With just under two months remaining in the NPL2, the race for promotion is heating up. Heading into round 22, Whittlesea Ranges currently hold the championship spot, with St Albans four points behind, occupying the promotion play off spot.
Moreland Zebras too are not far off the pace, three points behind St. Albans. Breathing up the Zebras neck is fourth placed North Geelong, who sit a point behind Moreland. Melbourne City also are within the mix, sitting one point behind North Geelong, ultimately five points away from the promotion play-off position.
Although in poor form of late, Ballarat and Moreland City are under four games away from the promotion play-off spot, and have a very slim chance of pushing for promotion to the top division in the assistance of results going in their favour.
At the foot of the table, Sunshine George Cross have been the in-form team, defeated only once in their past eight outings. They sit second last on 17 points. One point above Sunshine is Werribee City. Like Sunshine, Werribee have turned their season around, sitting on 18 points, who like Sunshine are pushing for a strong end of the season within the mid-table mix. At the bottom of the league sit struggling Bendigo City on 12 points – poor results of recent have allowed Sunshine and Werribee to kick clear of them. However, all three have in recent times shown there are no easy wins in the league any more for the promotion candidates.
On Friday night, Moreland Zebras host the in-form Sunshine George Cross at CB Smith Reserve. The Zebras will want to continue on their form from last week in a rather one-sided 2-0 win over Werribee City. Sunshine George Cross will be looking to continue to shock the league after they took a point off promotion pushers North Geelong last round, and ladder leaders Whittlesea Ranges a week prior. Zebras will be boosted by the return of injured international Nejc Kolman.
Ladder leaders Whittlesea Ranges visit mid-table Moreland City on Saturday afternoon. Whittlesea Ranges will want to increase their lead at the top after a comfortable 2-0 win against a stubborn Bendigo last week. A win for Moreland City will keep them in touch with the promotion chasers with a late season surge. City were unlucky to not take three points from St. Albans due to a late equaliser from the Saints.
Bendigo City visit Elcho Park on Saturday afternoon to do battle with promotion battlers North Geelong Warriors. North Geelong snatched a point away to Sunshine last courtesy of a Nicholas Juricic strike. Bendigo were solid, however fell 2-0 to leaders Whittlesea Ranges. City will be aiming to climb up the table and maintain the pressure on the fellow clubs around them. Whereas nothing short of a win is needed for North Geelong to keep in touch with leaders Whittlesea Ranges.
Melbourne City make a trip up the Western Freeway to face off with Ballarat. Winless in July, City need a win to keep up with the teams in the promotion mix, and a loss could blow their promotion chances for the season. Home side Ballarat have been inconsistent of late, and a win would certainly get them back on track with the pace-setters.
St. Albans play host to Werribee City at Fox Street on Sunday afternoon. The Saints will be aiming to gain automatic promotion to the top flight, so a win on Sunday will certainly apply the pressure on leaders Whittlesea. Werribee City were hard done by last weekend after leading against Ballarat, where an own goal was scored, as well as a 95th minute equaliser for the Red Devils, which enabled them to steal a point. A win for Werribee could potentially give them some breathing space between themselves and Sunshine at the race in the bottom half.