SENIOR MEN

South Coast Flame vs Hawkesbury City, Friday 8pm, The Furnace

South Coast Flame will be taking on Hawkesbury FC tonight and will be searching for their first win for the season at The Furnace.

Flame has picked up one point from just two matches this season, having been on the wrong end of three astonishing goals last week against UNSW.

Flame have scored four goals in their two League Three Men’s matches this season with all four coming from different goal scorers in Lucas Ayala, Matthew Mazevski, Louis Miller-Tamsitt and Jack Balmforth, but it hasn’t been enough to find three points.

The side has been disappointed with its start to the season and are under no illusion of how good Hawkesbury are on a technical level.

However, Flame are expected to have coach Darren Jones on deck for his first League Three Men’s game this year, after missing out in the first two matches due to unavailability and illness, while a more experienced side is expected for what shapes as an important fixture.

Meanwhile, Hawkesbury City, the only other side to have played all three games and won the trio, will be coming into the game expecting a tough matchup “against what is usually a well-organised side on their own pitch,” according to coach Dean Bertenshaw.

Hawks have won every game this season by a solitary goal and this corresponding fixture last season saw Flame secure a 2-1 win.

The U20 fought back from 3-1 down last week only to fall to a late goal. There is plenty of attacking firepower in this side and Jordan Wright has been in fine scoring form of late.

The boys will fancy their chances against a Hawks side that needs to make the long trip down to The Furnace on a Friday night.

YOUTH BOYS

South Coast Flame FC vs Hills United, Sunday 3 April, The Furnace

The Youth Boys were washed out last week and they are itching to get back into their season.

The 13 Boys have been one of our best performing teams so far and are undefeated from their first five matches. Top spot beckons as they have a game in hand and this week, they will expect nothing less than three points.

The 14 Boys picked up a super win last time out however they face a Hills side that has won three on the trot.

The 15 Boys broke a three-game losing streak with a good win against Northbridge however Hills will be a tough ask given they started the season winning their first three games.

The 16 Boys unexpectedly fell last time out after a promising start however this week they face a side that has won their first four games and sits top of table. Expecting a tight game.

The 18 Boys have struggled to settle into the season with player unavailable hampering their start to the campaign. In saying that, the boys have picked up a draw and two wins from their last three matches and are just starting to hit their stride. It’s a great time to be playing against Hills who are four from four so far. Big game for the lads.

SENIOR WOMEN

South Coast Flame FC vs Central Coast Mariners, Sunday 3 April, 7pm, The Furnace

Rounding out the weekend is a game between South Coast Flame and Central Coast Mariners at The Furnace on Sunday night.

Both sides come off big wins last weekend headed into this clash. South Coast Flame won a tight contest 2-1 against Sutherland Shire FA while Central Coast Mariners were rampant against Inter Lions winning 7-0.

The Flame have shown in parts they can challenge anyone in the League One Womens competition especially at the Furnace. Jess Cruickshank is in a rich vein of form at the moment. She will need that form against a strong Mariners side.

For the Mariners, it is about finding some consistent form which will propel them up the ladder headed closer to the mid-way stage of the competition. Captain Kaitlin Murphy has led the side from the front and is finding the net with regularity so will need to be watched by the Flame defence.

The Under 20 girls were unlucky not to secure all three points last week and they appear to be getting better with each week. They face a Mariners side that has won four from five and taking a scalp like this this weekend will give the girls a massive boost.

YOUTH GIRLS

The Youth Girls unfortunately are washed out this weekend however the 16 Girls did pick up a gritty 1-0 win midweek against Camden.