Pig'N'Whistle Canale Cup RD2 Preview
- Ian Judd
- May 2, 2017
- 5 min read
Round 2 of the Pig ’N’ Whistle Canale Cup gets underway this Tuesday evening and there’s a couple of heavyweight sides in the round looking to make amends for their departure from the Westfield FFA Cup. North Brisbane (CL4) v Virginia Utd (CL2) 7.00pm - Tue 2nd May at Prentice Park. An intriguing tie for North Brisbane who face a Virginia side yet to lose a league game thus far and who’s only loss in 2017 came at the hands of Flight Centre Premier League side Logan Lightning in the Westfield FFA Cup which led to United being here at this stage. The Prentice Park side will need to be on top of their game if they’re to get any kind of result from this one.
Oxley Utd (CL2) v Pine RIvers Utd (CL2) 7.30pm - Tue 2nd May at Dunlop Park. Both sides are struggling in the league at present having only recorded two wins apiece which came against the bottom two clubs. Oxley will go into this tie as firm favourites though having already beaten Pine Rivers 4-0 in the league a month ago at Dunlop Park. It might prove closer than that this time but based on that result you’d expect Oxley to progress to RD3.
Westside (CL3) v New Farm Utd (CL2) 7.30pm - Tue 2nd May at Grovely Sports Ground. A tricky little trip for New Farm here as they head to Westside Grovely with a spot in RD3 up for grabs. Westside were outclassed by Caboolture at the weekend whilst New Farm sit mid-table in Capital League 2. Based on the divisional split between the two teams, New Farm ought to come out on top but this could be one of those ties that sees an upset. Lions FC (FCPL) v Samford Rangers (CL4) 7.30pm - Tue 2nd May at Lions Stadium. Well who’d have thought we’d be previewing Lions FC at this stage of the Pig ’N’ Whistle Canale Cup? This tie certainly has all the hallmarks of a David & Goliath encounter with joint Capital League 4 league leaders Samford Rangers making the trip to Lions Stadium. Coach Warren Moon is expected to field a full strength squad, especially with Lions next game some 10 days away, whilst also looking to gain some much needed confidence for his side. This will certainly be a far cry from Capital League 4 for Rangers and it will be a true test of where they’re at as a side. Perhaps the question will be how they can keep the scoreline respectable. Bethania Rams (CL4) v Park RIdge (CL2) 7.30pm - Tue 2nd May at Opperman Park. There’s more to this tie than first meets the eye. Rams feature a host of ex-players from Park RIdge so there’s added spice to this clash at Opperman Park this evening; which will be their first home game since the recent floods that enveloped the area. Ridge are in total disarray in 2017, sitting rock bottom of Capital League 2 with 9 losses from 9 games and having conceded an average of 5 goals per game whilst finding the back of the net just 3 times. Bethania will fancy their chances here and with home advantage you wouldn’t put it past them to dump Ridge out of the competition. Jimboomba Utd (CL3) v Pine Hills (CL2) 7.30pm - Wed 3rd May at Kurrajong Park. Just one win each for these two sides in their respective leagues this season and certainly one of the tougher ties to assess. It’s going to be a long trip for Hills on a Wednesday night and that might just give United the upper hand. Both sides haven’t been firing in front of goal too well but it’s defensively where they both look vulnerable with a leakage rate of 3-4 goals per game for both. Very much a difficult one to pick a winner from and perhaps extra time and penalties could loom large. Ipswich Knights (FCPL) v AC Carina (CL3) 7.30pm - Thu 4th May at Eric Evans Oval. The second of the Flight Centre Premier League sides to be pitched in to this round of the Pg ’N Whistle Canale Cup after an early Westfield FFA Cup departure. Knights though were dumped out of that competition by fellow premier league side Holland Park Hawks and will be odds-on favourites to take this tie out over AC Carina, from three divisions below them. Knights form has nose dived since that cup exit to Hawks with just win since, be it against Lions FC. But they should be far too good for the Dolphins who despite sitting in third spot on the Capital League 3 ladder, have had indifferent results thus far. Expect Knights to get back to winning ways at Eric Evans Oval.
Caboolture (CL3) v Springfield United (CL4)
7.30pm - Fri 5th May at Grant Road Sporting Complex.
Two sides in form at present so despite Springfield’s 100% record in Capital League 4, a long road trip on a Tuesday night to a well drilled Caboolture outfit looks a daunting task. Caboolture have only lost one league game to date and their first home game of the season saw an impressive 5-1 win at the weekend over fellow finals contenders Westside, which would suggest they’ll take this one in similar fashion with that same home advantage. Acacia Ridge (CL1) v Kangaroo Point Rovers (CL4) 7.30pm - Sat 6th May at Ron Proud Field. A Saturday clash for this one with perpetual promotion outfit Acacia Ridge at home to Capital League 4's Kangaroo Point Rovers. Ridge are in fine form and currently sit second in Captial League 1. It was only two seasons ago that both these sides met in Capital League 3 but that season saw very different outcomes for both clubs with Ridge promoted as premiers and Rovers relegated to where they now reside. With that gap in status it would be very hard to look beyond the home side progressing to the next round, especially with the Capital League 1 leading goal scorer Juan Jaimes spearheading their attack. Coming up next week which we’ll preview later in the week… Eastern Suburbs (FCPL) v North Star (CL1) 7.30pm - Mon 8th May at Heath Park. Bayside Utd (CL1) v Western Spirit (CL2) 7.30pm - Tue 9th May at Don Randall Oval.
Tarragindi Tigers (CL3) v Slacks Creek (CL3)
7.30pm - Tue 9th May at Esher Street. Annerley (CL1) v Redcliffe PCYC (CL3) 7.45pm - Tue 9th May at Elder Oval. Mt Gravatt (CL1) v St George Willawong (CL3) 7.30pm - Wed 10th May at Dittmer Park.
