Macedonia Park will host a big weekend of Night Series finals with four matches over two nights.
On Sunday, it is the Women's double-header – UWA Nedlands v South West Phoenix in the State League decider (5pm) and Balcatta v Murdoch University Melville in the NPL final (7.15pm).
Before that it's the turn of the Men's competitions. At 5pm on Saturday, South West Phoenix and North Perth United meet in the Belt Up Amateur final. That is followed by the State League final between last year's beaten finalists Olympic Kingsway and Mandurah City.
City’s new look side are aiming to build on a fourth-place finish in 2020 and they have made a fine start this term with five wins in five competitive games.
Mandurah edged past Subiaco 2-1 in Wednesday’s semi-final and head coach Pete Taylor says the club are excited to embrace the opportunity of winning a trophy this weekend.
“It’s huge for us to be putting pride back in the badge. It’s been a couple of years since we’ve been away from the NPL, but we’re seeing the tide start to turn now,” Taylor said.
“We are treating this as the FA Cup final and that means everything to us because we’ve worked really hard to get here and want to win every game we’re involved in.
“So, to finish the pre-season winning this trophy would mean the world to the players, the fans, the club, the president, the committee, we’re in it to win it and there’s nothing else on our minds whatsoever.
“The boys are buzzing at the moment. They’re playing with a lot of flair and appetite to go out there and show people what they are all about and they’ll be bang up for Saturday.”
Taylor had a brief spell with Fremantle prior to finishing up with the Dolphins in his playing days, before guiding the Mandurah Amateur side to a couple of promotions as coach. Alongside joint-head coach Kris Donnell in 2021, City have scored 17 goals in five pre-season games, having only scored 25 in 16 league games last season, and Taylor says the fresh faces have given the team confidence to play with style.
“It’s been a slight tactical change due to some of the players we have brought in. Last year we were more of a counter-attacking side, but since introducing the new faces we realised we have a different dimension,” he said.
“We’re more confident of controlling the game and playing in the right areas. It’s a style which has helped us create a bucketload of chances and fortunately we’re converting them too.
“It’s been unreal because we’ve added quite a few numbers, but the unity and the way they have integrated has been pretty breathtaking. They’re flying at the moment. We always take it one game at a time, but if they can continue to improve the world is their oyster this year.”
Olympic Kingsway will provide formidable opposition to Mandurah on the weekend, having won the League and Finals double in 2020, while taking four points off the Dolphins throughout the league season.
Michael Janssen has replaced double winning coach Gary Williams in 2021 and helped guide the Green Machine to Saturday’s final with a 3-0 win over former club UWA Nedlands on Wednesday.
The German coach said it was important for Kingsway to continue the momentum from pre-season and to build on the platform set by Williams last season.
“When you progress to the semi-finals you have to use those games to build that mindset towards a strong start to the season,” Janssen said.
“The finals have great atmospheres and they’re games you want to be a part of and win, there’s no doubt about that.
“The team is hungry and excited to play in the final. Everyone wants to play, competition for spots is high and that will make us stronger and better for the league.”
Janssen added that he’s pleased with how the pre-season has gone so far and is expects a difficult matchup with Mandurah.
“The development and improvement in the squad over the last couple of weeks has been positive, but the purpose has also been to win games,” he said.
“Wednesday’s win was another step forward and a pretty good night for us because it wasn’t an easy game, but we created chances and kept a clean sheet which is always good.
“Mandurah are defensively strong and very effective with a strong attacking centre. They’re well organised and are a team who can beat anyone on their day as we saw against Western Knights, so it’ll be an open, tough and interesting game for the spectators to watch.”
The Belt Up the Amateur Night Series final pits South West Phoenix against 2020 Premier Division winners North Perth United.
It is a big weekend for Phoenix, whose Women’s State League side also features in Night Series Final action on Sunday, and the men will also arrive at the final full of confidence.
Four second half goals saw the South West club advance 7-2 over Jaguar FC in their semi-final, a win that included four goals from Lee Stewart, and the final gives them the chance to continue their early-season improvement under Nick Carter following a ninth-place league finish in 2020.
Luke O'Neill’s North Perth United needed penalties to get past Quinns FC on Wednesday after a 2-2 draw, but they shape up as a tough opponent for the decider having won four Amateur Premier Division titles in the last eight years.
Both sides met a fortnight ago in Group A of this competition with the sides sharing the spoils 2-2 on that occasion.
Saturday 27 March at Macedonia Park
Amateur Men’s Night Series Final
5pm – South West Phoenix vs. North Perth United
State League Men’s Night Series Final
7.15pm – Mandurah City vs. Olympic Kingsway
Filed Under: Amateur Master Metro Cup