2025 Australian Championship: Bayswater look to shoot down APIA big guns
Bayswater City head coach Matty Sparrow wants his team to continue “riding the wave” as they prepare for their biggest challenge so far in the Australian Championship.
Victory over Wests APIA on Sunday would see Bayswater replace the NSW NPL side at the top of Group D at the halfway mark of the group stage and leave them well placed to make the last eight in the national second tier competition.
BAYSWATER CITY v WESTS APIA - BUY TICKETS HERE
The visit of APIA is the second of three successive home fixtures for Baysie, with Sydney United 58 to follow seven days later. Sparrow acknowledges it is probably their best opportunity to add to their points tally.
“Ideally, yes, we’ll get points from the two home games before travelling twice in a week to Sydney and Adelaide to face the big guns,” Sparrow said.
“It’s not easy, but it is what it is, and who says we can’t go away and win at APIA or MetroStars? It’ll be difficult, but these are the games you want.”
After starting the competition with a solid draw away to Sydney United, Bayswater overcame the impressive MetroStars 1-0 last week thanks to Gyles Davies’ second-half goal backed up by a brilliant defensive display.
“The results have been really good,” Sparrow said.
“We knew we’d be coming up against top, top teams, but so far we have acquitted ourselves really well.
“Sydney away was a great point to start, then to beat MetroStars was a fantastic result. We defended really well for 95 minutes, and it was backs to the wall for the last 20, but we got over the line.
“They were an outstanding team, passed it really well, and from one-to-11 they could all play football. They were as fit as us, if not fitter, so we had to be switched on and smart in our decision-making.
“Now we’ve got to back it up on Sunday. APIA are one of the favourites to win the competition and have set the benchmark. They are well-drilled and have an extra edge up front, so we’ll have to be on our game again. If we do win, it will give us some breathing space.”
Sparrow says he and his players are embracing the opportunity to test themselves against some of the best NPL sides in the country.
“This is a great competition and to qualify from the group stage would be success in my eyes, especially with some people saying we’d be lucky to get a result,” he said.
“We’ve got a big couple of weeks coming up, and we want to be competing into November and December.
“We’ve already had a great season, winning the league and the Top Four Cup. We’re riding a wave at the minute and we don’t want it to end.”
Bayswater face Wests APIA at Frank Drago Reserve on Sunday 26 October, kick-off 1.30pm WST.
The game will be shown live on SBS on Demand, while tickets can be purchased HERE.
- The other Round Three match from Group D sees Sydney United at home to MetroStars on Saturday.
