NSW League One Round 11 Wrap: Tigers and Raiders Neck-and-Neck

James Stuart

Northern Tigers Stay Top After Bonnyrigg Blowout

It’s tight at the top of the NSW League One ladder after Matchday 11, with the Northern Tigers continuing to hold top spot thanks to a dominant 3–0 home win over Bonnyrigg White Eagles on Friday night.

Kai Denton starred with a brace, finding the net in the 25th and 79th minutes, while Olivier Beltran-Woodward chipped in with a goal of his own to keep the Tigers flying. The result lifts the Tigers to 25 points, level with Southern Districts Raiders but ahead on goal difference.

Raiders Snatch Dramatic Late Winner

The Raiders kept pace with a dramatic late 2–1 win away at Mounties Wanderers. Oliver Velnic gave them the lead after 80 minutes, but they were pulled back by a Michael Trajkovski strike 6 minutes later. The visitors prevailed in stunning fashion, with a 90th-minute own goal from Ansah handing South Districts all three points at the death. The Raiders sit level with the Tigers on 25 points, but occupy the promotion playoff spot by virtue of goal difference.

Jets Hold Steady With Gritty Draw Against Hakoah

Further North, Newcastle Jets remain firmly in the hunt for back-to-back promotions after a 1–1 draw with Hakoah Sydney City East. Jordan Mikhael gave Hakoah an early lead, but the Jets found a reply through Ethan Debono in the 72nd minute. They’re sitting third on 21 points and showing impressive consistency in their first year back in League One. Meanwhile Hakoah missed the opportunity to move out of the relegation playoff spot.

Uni, Rams share spoils as Inter edge Spartans

UNSW also shared the points in a 1–1 draw with cellar-dwellers Macarthur Rams. Kevin Lopes opened the scoring for the university side, but the Rams rescued a rare point with Carlos Ruiz Cantillo’s 81st-minute strike. The Rams still prop up the table with just one win in 11 matches.

Elsewhere, Inter Lions edged past Blacktown Spartans 1–0 thanks to a 15th-minute finish from Sebastien Portolesi, while Hills United and Bankstown City couldn’t be separated in a 1–1 stalemate.

Berries Pull Off Sensational Comeback Over Rydalmere

One of the weekend’s most entertaining clashes came at Jensen Park, where Canterbury Bankstown FC edged Rydalmere Lions 3–2. The Berries struck three times in a wild 13-minute spell late in the second half, turning around a 2–0 deficit after goals from Robert Eremugo and Adil Toska had the Lions in control. Cian McNamara, Demetrius Kigeya, and James Ralston were the heroes in a stunning comeback that sees them move to 17 points.

League Table Snapshot

With just four points separating fifth and twelfth place, the midtable remains a congested battleground. Dulwich Hill, who didn’t feature this round, could shake things up further with two games in hand.