2020 Western Premier League season

The 2020 Western Premier League was the 20th season of the Western Premier League (WPL), the top football league in the Central West region of New South Wales. It was the first season of the competition since 2012. Dubbo Bulls were the three-time defending champions, having won the past three competitions in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

WPL
Season2020
ChampionsDubbo Bulls (4th title)
PremiersMacquarie United (Dubbo) (1st title)
Matches played42
Goals scored166 (3.95 per match)
Top goalscorerJesse Spang 13 - (Macquarie United)
Biggest home winMacquarie United 6–1 Panorama (8 August 2020)
Dubbo Bulls 5–0 Lithgow Workmen's (5 September 2020)
Macquarie United 5–0 Lithgow Workmen's (19 September 2020)
Biggest away winParkes Cobras 1–4 Dubbo Bulls (11 July 2020)
Dubbo Bulls 2–5 Macquarie United (23 July 2020)
Barnstoneworth United 2–5 Dubbo Bulls (26 July 2020)
Orana Spurs 1–4 Parkes Cobras (15 August 2020)
Orana Spurs 1–4 Macquarie United (22 August 2020)
2012
2021

The season kicked-off with three games on 11 July, with the Parkes Cobras-Orana Spurs match at Woodward Park in Parkes the first to get underway, marking the first WPL match in eight years. The season concluded with the grand final on 26 September. Dubbo Bulls claimed a fourth WPL title after defeating local rivals Macquarie United in the grand final 2–1 at Apex Oval.

Background and season summary

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The previous iteration of the Western Premier League had originally folded at the end of 2012 season when Dubbo Westside and Dubbo Bulls FC all pulled out in quick succession, leaving just three teams in the competition. Talks continued towards the end of 2019 and in the early months of 2020 about reviving the competition[1][2] before the competition's return was officially announced by Western NSW Football in February.[3]

Nine teams originally nominated for the competition - former champions Dubbo Bulls and Orange Waratahs, as well as Barnstoneworth United, Lithgow Workmen's, Macquarie United (Dubbo), Orana Spurs, Panorama, the newly-formed Parkes Cobras and South Dubbo Wanderers.[4] However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Waratahs and Wanderers withdraw from the competition before a ball was kicked.[5][6] With two teams withdrawing and with restrictions in place by Football NSW and the NSW Government, the competition could not kick-off in April, as originally planned, and restrictions threatened to cancel the WPL's return. But as restrictions were lifted, the WPL got the green light to return in July and it kicked-off on the fourth of that month with three matches on the same day.[7]

The first round of matches saw Parkes Cobras (a team formed specially for the WPL) host Orana Spurs at Woodward Oval, Macquarie United were away in Orange to face Barnstoneworth United and Dubbo Bulls would face Panorama at Lady Cutler Oval. Lithgow Workmen's had the bye. The Parkes-Orana match kicked-off at 3pm, 15 minutes before the game in Orange and an hour before the Bulls-Panorama match, meaning Cobras' 17th minute opener by Daniel Clarke was the first WPL goal in eight years.[8] All matches in the opening round ended in 1-all stalemates.[9]

The first wins of the 2020 WPL season came in the second round when Barnstoneworth United overcome Panorama 4–2 in Bathurst, Dubbo Bulls won 4–1 away at Parkes Cobras, and Lithgow Workmen's defeated Macquarie United 2–1.[10][11][12]

At the halfway mark in the season, Macquarie United surprised many by leading the competition by two points over Lithgow Workmen's and Dubbo Bulls, in second and third respectively. The Paul Crain-coached Macquarie side had a team featuring a number of teenagers, carried over from its Dubbo and District Football Association A grade campaign from 2019.[13] Many expected the youthful side to finish last,[14] however, Macquarie would eventually finish the regular season in first place, claiming the Premiers' Plate, one point ahead of city rivals Dubbo Bulls in second.[15] [16]

In a fiery grand final, Dubbo Bulls claimed the title with a 2–1 winner over city rivals Macquarie United at Apex Oval.[17]

Teams

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45km
30miles
 
 
Parkes Cobras
 
Panorama
 
Orana Spurs
 
Macquarie United
 
Lithgow Workmen's
 
Dubbo Bulls
 
Barnstoneworth United
Locations of the 2020 WPL clubs.


Home venues and locations

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Team Location Home ground
Barnstoneworth United Orange Jack Brabham Park
Dubbo Bulls Dubbo Lady Cutler Oval
Lithgow Workmen's Lithgow Marjorie Jackson Oval
Macquarie United Dubbo Hans Claven Oval
Orana Spurs Dubbo Lady Cutler Oval
Panorama Bathurst Proctor Park
Parkes Cobras Parkes Woodward Oval

Personal and kits

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Team Head coach Captain Kit manufacturer Kit sponsor
Barnstoneworth United Rob Dawson Josh Summerson Nike N/A
Dubbo Bulls Jason Schink Scott Fox
Kobe Rapley
Lindsay Mumford Suzuki
Lithgow Workmen's Martin Hunter Ben Sheehan Kookaburra Sport Huesker
Macquarie United Paul Crain Rhys Osborne Puma Castlereagh Hotel
Orana Spurs Jared Corby South Dubbo Tavern
Panorama Ricky Guihot Ryan Peacock Nike Agile Arbor Tree Services
Parkes Cobras Meaghan Kempson Brent Tucker Parkes Services Club

Regular season

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Ladder

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Macquarie United 12 7 1 4 34 21 +13 22 Premiers' Plate and Finals series
2 Dubbo Bulls (C) 12 6 3 3 25 16 +9 21 Finals series
3 Panorama 12 5 5 2 23 21 +2 20
4 Lithgow Workmen's 12 5 3 4 24 24 0 18
5 Barnstoneworth United 12 4 5 3 25 26 −1 17
6 Orana Spurs 12 2 3 7 16 29 −13 9
7 Parkes Cobras 12 2 2 8 19 29 −10 8
Updated to match(es) played on 12 September 2020. Source: [1]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions

Results

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Home \ Away BU DB LW MQ OS PA PC
Barnstoneworth United 2–5 3–3 1–1 1–1 2–2 4–2
Dubbo Bulls 2–0 5–0 2–5 1–1 1–1 1–2
Lithgow Workmen's 2–2 3–0 2–1 3–0 1–1 3–1
Macquarie United 0–2 0–2 4–1 4–1 6–1 4–2
Orana Spurs 5–2 0–1 3–1 1–4 1–3 1–4
Panorama 2–4 1–1 3–2 3–1 4–1 2–1
Parkes Cobras 1–2 1–4 1–3 3–4 1–1 0–0
Updated to match(es) played on 12 September 2020. Source: [2]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants.

Finals series

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Semi finals

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19 September 2020 Dubbo Bulls 1–0 Panorama Dubbo
15:00 AEST Thomas Busch   19' (pen.) Report Stadium: Apex Oval
19 September 2020 Macquarie United 5–0 Lithgow Workmen's Dubbo
17:00 AEST Jesse Spang   28', 36' (pen.)
Justin Sutton   19'
Will Grant   45'
Connor Crain   61'
Report Stadium: Apex Oval

Grand final

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26 September 2020 Macquarie United 1–2 Dubbo Bulls Dubbo
20:00 AEST Brad Matiuscenko   Report Scott Fox     Stadium: Apex Oval

Player stats

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Top goal scorers

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As of the end of the grand final, 26 September 2020
Rank Player Club Goals
1 Jesse Spang Macquarie United 13
2 Ben Sheehan Lithgow Workmen's 7
Gareth Williams Dubbo Bulls
4 Logan Inwood Lithgow Workmen's 6
Lachlan McHatton Barnstoneworth United
6 Angus Cusack Orana Spurs 5
Blake Medlyn Parkes Cobras
Ryan Peacock Panorama
Justin Pickering Macquarie United
Jacob Soetens-Chidac Panorama

Hat-tricks

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Player For Against Result Date Ref
Ben Sheehan Lithgow Workmen's Parkes Cobras 3–1 26 July 2020 [18]
Jesse Spang Macquarie United Orana Spurs 4–1 26 July 2020 [19]
Jake Grady Orana Spurs Barnstoneworth United 5–2 1 August 2020 [20]
Lachlan McHatton Barnstoneworth United Parkes Cobras 4–2 8 August 2020
Jesse Spang Macquarie United Orana Spurs 4–1 22 August 2020 [21]

References

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  1. ^ Western Premier League revival won't happen next year in Western Advocate, 31 October 2019
  2. ^ Sugden would like to see a Western Premier League soccer revival in Western Advocate, 26 September 2019
  3. ^ Western Premier League officially confirmed to return in 2020 in Western Advocate, 17 February 2020
  4. ^ Get to know the nine clubs for the revived Western Premier League in Western Advocate, 1 March 2020
  5. ^ Wanderers all but certain to miss WPL start after restrictions take pre-season toll in Daily Liberal, 7 April 2020
  6. ^ Waratahs FC won't play in the 2020 Western Premier League competition in Central Western Daily, 22 June 2020
  7. ^ Panorama away to Dubbo Bulls in opening round of Western Premier League on July 4 in Western Advocate, 28 June 2020
  8. ^ The Cobras first game in the WPL ends in a stalemate in Parkes Champion-Post, 6 July 2020
  9. ^ WPL 2020: All teams expect improvement after COVID-affected build-up in Daily Liberal, 6 July 2020
  10. ^ WPL 2020: Barnstoneworth's strong start sets up 4-2 victory over Panorama FC in Western Advocate, 11 July 2020
  11. ^ Parkes Cobras suffer unlucky 4-1 defeat against the Dubbo Bulls in Parkes Champion-Post, 13 July 2020
  12. ^ WPL 2020: Macquarie United suffers 2-1 defeat at Lithgow in Daily Liberal, 13 July 2020
  13. ^ WPL 2020: Dubbo's Macquarie United to start season in Orange in Daily Liberal, 3 July 2020
  14. ^ WPL season preview | A look at the seven clubs taking part in Lithgow Mercury, 4 July 2020
  15. ^ Macquarie United in reach of Western Premier League minor premiership in Daily Liberal, 1 September 2020
  16. ^ 2020 Western Districts Premier League First Grade Table, in OzFootball, 7 October 2020
  17. ^ Scott Fox scores twice as Dubbo FC wins Western Premier League grand final in Daily Liberal, 28 September 2020
  18. ^ Lithgow Workmen's Ben Sheehan sits third place in the Western Premier League golden boot race in Lithgow Mercury, 30 July 2020
  19. ^ WPL 2020: Jesse Spang scores hat-trick in Macquarie's win over Orana Spurs in Daily Liberal, 28 July 2020
  20. ^ Orana Spurs make confident return led by Grady's boot in Daily Liberal, 28 July 2020
  21. ^ Macquarie United take another step towards minor premiership in Daily Liberal, 25 August 2020