In the blink of an eye, the Men’s Premier League regular season is complete.
Ten teams, 18 rounds, 90 matches, 358 goals and 8,100 minutes of football later, we now turn our attention to the finals.
The top four have been confirmed, with Northbridge, Lindfield, Hornsby Heights and Kissing Point earning their place in the finals series.
At the other end of the Club Championship table, Berowra secured their safety with a comprehensive victory, while West Pymble also avoided relegation after Knox United were unable to claim the result they needed, sending Knox United down.
The regular season may be over, but the biggest games are still to come.
Knox United 1 – 2 Hornsby Heights FC
This was a do-or-die clash for Knox United, who needed a win to keep their Men’s Premier League survival hopes alive. The day had started perfectly, with the Reserves securing all three points against Hornsby Heights. A win in First Grade would put Knox in a strong position to avoid relegation, depending on results elsewhere.
Knox made the perfect start. Charlie Hildebrand, fresh off his Player of the Round performance the previous week, found the back of the net inside the opening minute to send Knox into dreamland. Their survival hopes had been given an enormous boost, but there was still a long way to go.
The remainder of the first half was a tense affair, with both sides battling for control. Knox held firm, taking their one-goal advantage into the break.
As the second half wore on, Knox began to look increasingly aware of the importance of their slender lead. With survival on the line, the mental battle between pushing for a second goal and protecting what they had became increasingly difficult. Hornsby Heights continued to apply pressure, searching for an equaliser.
Their persistence finally paid off in the 76th minute when Harry Frederick found the breakthrough, levelling the scores and leaving Knox with little time to recover from the setback.
Knox knew they had to go again, but the disappointment of surrendering their lead after holding on for so long was a difficult hurdle to overcome. They pushed for a winner, but it was Heights who would have the final say.
In the dying moments, Ryan Brooks showed composure in front of goal, calmly finishing past the Knox goalkeeper to complete the comeback and seal all three points for Hornsby Heights.
The result confirmed Knox United’s relegation from the 2026 Men’s Premier League. Commiserations to Knox, who fought until the very last kick of their season.
For Hornsby Heights, the victory secured a top-three finish and a place in the finals. They will now face second place rather than first place in the Semi-Final, giving them plenty of confidence heading into the finals series.
Willoughby Dalleys 3 – 2 Chatswood Rangers
There was plenty on the line in this clash, with the Jim McBreen Cup up for grabs. A Chatswood Rangers club legend, Jim McBreen left a lasting legacy at the club, and each year these two sides come together to honour his memory and their rivalry in a battle for the Cup.
Willoughby Dalleys came out firing, producing the perfect start. Andrew Casali opened the scoring in the 11th minute before doubling the advantage just three minutes later with a quickfire brace. James Laming then added a third eight minutes later, putting Dalleys firmly in control as they took a 3-0 lead into the break.
Chatswood needed a fast start to the second half if they were to mount a comeback, and they got exactly that. Harrison Benbow pulled one back in the 55th minute, giving Chatswood a glimmer of hope and sparking a renewed push for a second.
Dalleys stood firm under the pressure, defending resolutely and limiting Chatswood’s opportunities. But with just three minutes remaining, Dean Zworestine found the back of the net to make it 3-2 and set up a tense finish.
Chatswood pushed for an equaliser in the dying stages, but Dalleys held their nerve to see out a thrilling 3-2 victory and claim the Jim McBreen Cup.
Northbridge FC 3 – 1 West Pymble FC
West Pymble had everything to play for, with their Premier League survival hopes hanging in the balance. Their Reserves had dramatically secured a 5-4 victory in the match prior, but with Knox Reserves also picking up three points, West Pymble still needed a result to guarantee their place in the division. Northbridge, meanwhile, knew a win would secure the 2026 Club Championship title.
The action came thick and fast from the opening whistle. Benjamin Dreger opened the scoring after just two minutes, putting Northbridge in front early. Their advantage was doubled in the eighth minute when Derek Karapetian found the back of the net to make it 2-0.
West Pymble responded seven minutes later, with Joshua Owen To pulling one back to give the home side hope of a comeback. That hope was short-lived, however, as Karapetian struck again to restore Northbridge’s two-goal advantage and complete his brace.
After a frantic opening 22 minutes, the game settled down, with Northbridge taking a 3-1 lead into the break. West Pymble needed to come out firing after half-time to secure their Premier League future, but despite their efforts, they were unable to find a way through a composed Northbridge defence.
Northbridge held on to claim all three points, officially securing the 2026 Club Championship title and capping off an outstanding regular season. They now turn their attention to the finals, where they will look to continue their impressive form.
For West Pymble, the result left their fate in the hands of others. Thankfully, Heights’ victory over Knox saw West Pymble finish in eighth place, securing their Premier League status for next season.
Lindfield FC 4 – 0 North Sydney United
Lindfield had secured a second-place finish coming into this one, looking to take strong form with them into finals. North Sydney United have had a tough end to the season in First-Grade, hopeful of ending the season on a high.
Lindfield were on song from the off, with Angus Wheeler opening the scoring 9 minutes in, marking another fast start this round. Patrick Ventura made it two in the 32nd minute, giving Lindfield a 2-0 advantage going into the half.
They started the second half quickly as they did in the first, with Noah Hunt putting another in the back of the net for Lindfield to make it 3-0. North Sydney United looked for a response but couldn’t do so as Lindfield professionally defended the lead.
Asha Phillips completed a fantastic performance, making it 4-0 with 10 minutes remaining. The game finished 4-0, another outstanding all-round team performance from Lindfield. They will be hopeful of challenging in the finals, facing off against Hornsby Heights in the Semi-Final.
Kissing Point FC 1 – 4 Berowra FC
Kissing Point had already secured their place in the finals coming into this one, with a win potentially lifting them as high as second. Berowra, meanwhile, had plenty on the line. A loss could have seen them at risk of relegation, but they also sat close to the top four in First-Grade.
Adding significance to the occasion, both sides had club legends preparing to hang up the boots at the end of the season, providing extra motivation to finish the campaign with a win.
It was Berowra who made the perfect start, with Samuel Parry opening the scoring in the 25th minute. Just seven minutes later, Zach Bovis produced a screamer to double the advantage, sending Berowra into the break with a 2-0 lead.
Berowra came out of the sheds hungry for more, and Parry delivered again in the 58th minute, extending the lead to 3-0.
The goal also added another layer to an intriguing Golden Boot battle. Parry was closing the gap on Kissing Point’s Lachlan Marlin at the top of the standings, but Marlin responded in style, pulling one back for Kissing Point to restore his two-goal advantage in the race for the Golden Boot.
With the next goal likely to decide the contest, Berowra were handed a golden opportunity when they were awarded a penalty. On a day celebrating two club legends, a new Berowra legend was writing his own legacy. Parry calmly converted from the spot to complete his hat-trick and seal a 4-1 victory, securing Berowra’s safety on the final day of the season.
The result sees Berowra finish just one point outside the finals, but safely clear of relegation, while Kissing Point now turn their attention to the finals, where they will face Northbridge. They can also take plenty of confidence from the fact that their main man, Lachlan Marlin, has once again secured the Golden Boot.
A huge congratulations to Cal Birrell and Liam Burrell of Berowra, and Eddie Frankish of Kissing Point, who have all represented their respective clubs since their youth days and have hung up the boots (for now).
Their journeys are a fantastic example of the club culture that exists across the NSFA, and the sense of belonging that makes local football in the Northern Suburbs so special.
Congratulations to Samuel Parry, whose final day Hat-Trick helped secure safety for Berowra.
The Final Four
The top four positions in the league are now confirmed, with Lindfield securing a second-placed finish behind Northbridge, followed by Hornsby Heights in third and Kissing Point in fourth. First will host fourth and second will host third in the Semi-Finals, with the match details to be confirmed soon.
League Table
