La Fiamma return home in crucial game to boost survival hopes

Ugle Fabrications La Fiamma are back at home this weekend as the fixture comes full circle as they face the Perth Royals at home this weekend.

The Reds faced the Royals in their first game this season where they went down to a tight 1-0 loss away from home.

The closeness of that contest was a sign of thongs to come with both teams sitting on 12 points separated only on goal difference.

But the Royals who were promoted to division three would be more content with their current position while the Reds would be desperate for a result this weekend.

A season that had started with high hopes for challenging for promotion began to unravel as several cancelled games and forfeits left them short of match practice and points.

However, now they are back on the pitch with more regularity things have not been much better with several players including their captain unavailable for lengthy stints compounded by some poor defending as seen them pick up just three points since May 20.

One thing that has gone their way is Football Wests handing La Fiamma the points for the controversial game with Alkimos which saw Alkimos coaches red-carded before the game was abandoned.

Football West found Alkimos to be at fault and handed coach Craig Stephenson an eight-match suspension for umpire abuse.

But even with those points, the Reds are only six points clear of the drop with Northern City on something of a resurgence with two wins in a row.

Promotion hopes may be gone but the competition is still tight, however, and in a perfect scenario, a win could see the Reds jump as high as sixth if other results go their way.

The key will be in their defence which is the second worst in the competition but if they can hold firm in the back a home win would go along way to allaying relegation fears.

The Reds kick off against the Royals at Salvatore Scuito Stadium from 6pm on Saturday.