Crunch time in NSW

The stage has been set as ten teams remain in the hunt for the five elusive Westfield FFA Cup Round of 32 spots in NSW with Round 7 of the Preliminary Rounds taking shape on Tuesday 12 and Wednesday 13 of May.

The winners of each matches will represent NSW in the round of 32 which will take place on Tuesday 28thof July where the five lucky teams will get the opportunity to face Hyundai A-League clubs as well as opposing state federation teams from across Australia.

What will be sure is that a Men’s State League 1 team will progress into the latter stages of this tournament as the Western NSW Mariners play host to Balmain Tigers at Proctor Park in Bathurst.

Both teams will know each other well facing off in this year’s competition, but with a round of 32 spot up for grabs, this game will be a firecracker.

At Lambert Park, high flyers Sydney Olympic will hope to make it two years in a row being part of the round of 32 when they face another team that featured at this stage in 2014, the South Coast Wolves.

The all PS4 NPL NSW Men’s 1 affair will be an intriguing battle and even though the Blues on form look like the team likely to progress, you can never count out a club coached by Nahuel Arrarte who will be pumping his chargers up and will have the weight of the South Coast football family on his shoulders in this cliff-hanger of a match.

At Sydney United Sports Centre, Sydney United 58 FC, another team that took part in the 2014 Round of 32 where they famously took on Sydney FC will meet Men’s State League 1 side Prospect United.

Mark Rudan’s men won its way with a 1-0 victory over the North Shore Mariners courtesy of a Richie Cardozo goal will be taking on a Prospect United side that will hope to overcome what will be the biggest upset of this round should they defeat the former NSL heavyweights.

Illinden Sports Centre will play host to another PS4 NPL NSW Men’s 1 affair as a rejuvenated Rockdale City Suns take on an in-form Sutherland Sharks outfit.

The Suns seem like they’ve turned the corner after the departure of former coach Branko Culina, and under the watchful eye of interim player/manager Paul Reid, they will hope to get one better over their neighbours the Sharks who have been travelling well under the radar in 2015.

Finally at Mills Park, PS4 NPL NSW Men’s 2 side Northern Tigers take on PS4 NPL NSW Men’s 1 giants of the Cup Blacktown City FC in what will be a tricky affair for Mark Crittenden’s men.

The Tigers will by no means be a pushover side as they will give it their all in making Blacktown City FC work hard for a spot in the next round.

Blacktown also were part of the round of 32 setup. City were crowned 2014 Waratah Cup Champions and will love nothing more than to progress once more.

Round 7 Westfield FFA Cup Preliminary Round Fixtures 
Tuesday 12th of May

7:30pm Western NSW Mariners v Balmain Tigers @ Proctor Park, Bathurst *

Wednesday 13th of May
7:30pm Northern Tigers  v Blacktown City @ Mills Park *
7:30pm Sydney Olympic v South Coast Wolves @ Lambert Park
7:30pm Sydney United 58 FC v Prospect United @ Sydney United Sports Centre
7:30pm Rockdale City Suns v Sutherland Sharks @ Illinden Sports Centre

*This states that this match will not be a running a gate on the evening