Vodafone Women's Premier League Round 20 Preview

By Niki Cook

With three rounds remaining, two finals places are still up for grabs in the WPL, but the teams competing for them all face tough matches in Round 20 this weekend. At the other end of the ladder, two of the sides still at risk from relegation play each other in a crucial match that will go a long way to determining which team will suffer the drop. Brimbank can secure its place in the finals with a victory, but it faces a tough proposition to do that this weekend, as it takes on a Box Hill Inter side still chasing the minor premiership. The match takes place on Friday night at Wembley Park, and victory for Brimbank, coupled with its healthy goal difference, would be enough to put it out of reach of Heidelberg and guarantee at least fifth spot. However, Inter took the points in the previous encounter between the sides, albeit by the narrowest of margins, a single goal being enough to decide the match. Inter is already assured of finishing at least second, but every point is vital as it attempts to catch Cranbourne and secure a more favourable finals draw. CB Smith Reserve is the venue for another vital match with a significant finals bearing, when Heidelberg United takes on Cranbourne Comets on Saturday. Heidelberg is currently three points plus goal difference outside the top five, and is rapidly running out of time to reduce that margin, but faces the toughest challenge of all to try and get something out of a game against a side that has dropped just three points all season. Cranbourne will be just as determined to take the three points, in order to maintain its lead over Inter going into the finals. It has also had a week’s rest from competition, after Ballarat forfeited last week’s match, but whether that is a benefit or a hindrance going into a match with so much at stake remains to be seen. Eastern Lions host Eltham North at Gardiners Creek Reserve in a real six point match, as this result will have a major bearing on the relegation battle. Both sides are still in danger of being relegated, but victory for Eltham, coupled with a favourable result in the Melbourne Uni / Keilor Park match, would be enough to guarantee its safety for another season. Victory for Eastern Lions would lift it above Eltham on the ladder, but it would still require at least one more point from its remaining two games to guarantee its WPL status. Eltham North has history on its side going into the game, having defeated the Lions 5-1 when the sides met in May. The University of Melbourne has the toughest proposition of all if it is to avoid the drop, as it faces the top three sides in its final three games. This week it takes on Keilor Park at Keilor Park Reserve, a side that scored five goals without reply against it last time the sides met. However, since that time, Keilor has suffered a dip in form, and has lost its two most recent matches. It is vital for the University to get something from this game if it is to have any hope of avoiding relegation, although it may still need to rely on other results regardless. Having endured horrible form in the second half of the season, which has seen it register just one win in its last ten games, South travels to Ballarat this Sunday. Ballarat provided a contest last time the sides met, although South ultimately overcame its regional opponent 4-0. Ballarat’s fate has already been sealed, as it cannot catch any of the teams above it, but it must fancy its chances against a side that has performed so poorly after a promising start to the season. South will see this match as an opportunity to register a long overdue win, and ensure that it finished the season off on a positive note.