Unusually, just the one NPL game for me this weekend, but thankfully there was midweek football on offer as the FFA Cup qualifiers have begun for FNSW teams. My first FFA Cup tie for this year was at Ernie Smith Reserve, with newly-promoted SD Raiders taking on fellow NPL 3 outfit Balmain Tigers for the second time in four days, the encounter on the previous Saturday resulting in a convincing 6-2 win for SD Raiders. Despite the recent rain, the surface at Ernie Smith was in very good condition, and this allowed Raiders to use their pace up front to full effect. Balmain were outclassed as Raiders moved into a 3-0 lead, unable to keep up with the speed of their opponents and seemingly not tactically savvy enough to sit deep and deny them space in behind. A scrappy goal just before halftime wasn’t enough to give Balmain any momentum going into the second half, and Raiders scored twice more in the second half to complete a convincing 5-1 victory. The ‘magic’ that enabled Balmain to reach the FFA Cup Round of 32 in 2015 has well and truly disappeared, and they look to be one of the [...]