Lakeside will host Victory this weekend in yet another must-win 6 pointer.

South and Victory currently sit level on the table with 12 points each, a loss could push us back in the relegation zone, a win could give us up to a four point buffer.

Last time we played, the scores were 3-3 in an exciting but concerning performance against a team we should have defeated easily, little did we know what was to come.

In recent weeks we have have looked pretty rough, however we still come into the game with two wins on the trot – an unconvincing win against Pascoe Vale in the Cup, and a 2-0 win against the struggling Knights.

The brightest light from these games (beyond the results) was the fact that we tested out some additional depth from the U23s, which hopefully comes in handy later in the season.

Victory have also struggled this season and have lost five games in a row, including a 1-0 loss against Altona which suggests we can in fact win this game.

Now, last time this fixture was held Victory fans infamously invaded the pitch and created national headlines. No one wants to see a repeat of those events, but concerningly with the A-League Grand Final the night before this game, it’s hard to say what mood the Victory fans will be in.

Both stands will be open and delayed exit windows will be observed for this game. Victory fans will have to occupy the new stand and South will stay in the members’ stand. I’m not expecting a big crowd based on our current form, but the fixture timing is otherwise perfect – so who knows?

If nothing else, this will be a valuable test for the club ahead of the the upcoming Preston game which certainly will bring a crowd.

We’re hoping for a win (we need one in the context of the relegation battle) but also we’re hoping to see a more convincing performance. Hopefully that means a few of our retuning injured players come back with form.