Metro United WFC vs Fulham United
Venue: TK Shutter Reserve
Date: Friday 14 August 6:15PM
Metro returned to the winners’ list last week after a series of crushing defeats to the league’s top sides and will be looking to capitalise on the poor form of tonight’s opponents.
Despite twice having their lead reeled in by NTC, Metro edged the contest 3-2 to open a crucial six-point gap between themselves and fifth placed Fulham.
The away side have struggled over the past few weeks, reaching a nadir last week with a loss to the previously winless Uni, but still sit three points ahead of their rivals below them.
A win for Metro would put a nine-point gap between the top and bottom half of the table, while Fulham will be hoping to close that gap to just three and rebound from their recent slump.
Adelaide University vs Adelaide City
Venue: Valo Football Centre
Date: Friday 14 August 6:15PM
Uni finally registered a win in 2020 after eight very long rounds of football but face the toughest assignment in the competition as they go head to head with the league leaders.
Goals either side of half time were enough to run out winners against Fulham last Friday night, leapfrogging NTC to move off the bottom of the ladder for the first time since Round 1.
City continue to dominate the sides that cross their path, with Chelsie Dawber netting an incredible six goals in an 8-1 mauling of Comets that brought her season tally to a scarcely believable 21 in seven matches.
It will take an almighty effort from Uni to topple the mighty City, but they enter the match buoyed by their recent uptick in form.
Salisbury Inter vs Football SA NTC
Venue: Valo Football Centre
Date: Friday 14 August 8:15PM
Inter earned a crucial victory last week to extend their unbeaten run to five matches and face last placed NTC tonight.
Their 2-1 win over West last week opened a four-point gap between Inter and their opponents and, most importantly, kept them within two points of the ladder leaders.
NTC’s fortunes over the same period have been a world away, picking up just one point in five and falling below Comets and Uni in the process.
Inter will enter the match confident of flexing their muscle and earning another victory over a struggling team, who are desperate to move as far away from the bottom as possible.
West Adelaide vs Adelaide Comets
Venue: Valo Football Centre
Date: Friday 14 August 8:15PM
West have failed their last two major tests of the season and will be eager to atone for them with victory over a lowly Comets side.
Losses to City and Inter have seen West fall to third and six points off the pace, with seven goals conceded in their last three matches more than quadrupling their tally over the first six.
Comets are coming off an 8-1 battering at the hands of City and are sitting just a point above the bottom with Uni and NTC breathing down their necks in the race to avoid the wooden spoon.
West are perhaps the most vulnerable they have been all season, but it will still require a big effort by Comets to overcome the high-flyers.
Words by Thomas Perrotta