It’s been a long time since they have had the sweet taste of success in the Westfield W-League Sydney Derby, but the Wanderers are primed to end the drought at Bankwest Stadium on Friday night.
Get your tickets to this Friday’s double header here.
The new look, unbeaten Red & Black face their biggest test of the season against the defending W-League champions, but are as ready as they ever will be to turn the tables on their bitter rivals.
So, if the scene had been set for one hell of a game then the ante has been upped well and truly now as the Wanderers look to reclaim top spot on the competition table.
Make no mistake, this is one of the biggest games of the W-League season and will give us a good idea of just where both teams sit as serious championship contenders.
Just three points separate the top three teams in the league with Melbourne City top of the table on 13 points, just one ahead of Sydney FC and three in front of the Red & Black, who, significantly, have a game in hand on the other two.
The Wanderers will be coming off the back of a 1-1 draw with Melbourne Victory and will be freshened after having the week off because of the bye.
They were a little unfortunate not to come away with all three points against Victory after coming from a goal down to equalise through Lynn Williams in the second half.
They bombarded the Victory goal in the dying minutes only to be denied a winner through some bad luck.
The draw was the first points the side has dropped this season following their outstanding start to the season in which they won their opening three games.
Still, head coach Dean Heffernan has them playing an exciting and entertaining brand of football that has made fans and the rest of the league sit up and take serious notice.
The inclusion of new signings such as imports Williams, Sam Staab, Abby Smith and Denise Williams, plus Matildas star Amy Harrison has made a huge difference to the squad and the mentality of the group.
However, they will come up against a Sydney side full of confidence and one that has won four of their opening five games of the season with their only defeat coming from Melbourne City.
Sydney has had the wood on the Red & Black since they first opposed each other in the 2012/13 season.
Of the 14 games between the two clubs, they have won 12, drawn one and lost one.
The Wanderers only win came on 26 October 2014 when they won 2-1 through a goal from American Keelin Winters and an own goal from Teigen Allen.
Interestingly, Harrison played for Sydney FC in that game.
