HAWKESBURY City Football Club’s finals chances rely on their two catch up games according to first grade coach Dean Bertenshaw.
In recent weeks, City has had two games rescheduled because of rain, and it came back to bite them against the Dunbar Rovers in Football NSW’s NPL 3 competition at the weekend.
Hawkesbury coach Dean Bertenshaw said Dunbar, whose synthetic field allowed them to play in heavy rain, was in good match fitness thanks to three weeks of uninterrupted play.
Hawkesbury, on the other hand, felt the effects of the two washed out games as the team went down 3-1.
“We've only played one game in the last three weeks and Dunbar were very fit,” he said.
"We looked a little bit underdone but I think we did ok. Dunbar deserved their win.”
Bertenshaw said the two upcoming catch-up games would prove crucial to Hawkesbury’s season.
“If we don't win the catch-ups then we won't make the finals, but if we win we'll be back in shooting distance of the top five,” he said.
The first is scheduled for tonight against Stanmore Hawks, currently in third place with eight wins to their name.
The second will be against Inter Lions, who have five wins to their name.
It will be a tough ask for City to make the finals, with the team sitting in 11th place after the loss to the Rovers.
However, the team was in a similar position last season, and made a surging charge to the finals, but ultimately fell just short.
Things are not so dire for City’s under-18s and under-16s teams.
The under-16s are atop the table in the NPL 2 Youth competition with 10 wins this season.
The under-18s are second in the NPL 3, trailing the Balmain tigers by one win.
Wanderers topple Blaxland FC
The Lowlands Wanderers first grade team caused an upset win in Nepean Football Association’s Premier League at the weekend.
The Wanderers won 5-2, thanks to a hat trick from Hayden Lane and a double from Isaac Walker.
Wanderers co-coach Vic Papadimitriou said the players were ecstatic after the win against second placed Blaxland.
“The two young fellas [Lane and Walker] put them through but the other guys in the team worked hard to give them those opportunities and also stop the opposition from scoring,” he said.
“The boys were chuffed after the win but we won't get carried away, it is only one game after all.”
Papadimitriou said Brandon Diaz had an excellent game in his first match as captain, while 16-year-old Dylan Sepulveda debuted off the bench.
