Huge night in store for Berkeley FC as the Bert Bampton Cup knockout returns

It's set to be a huge occasion on Wednesday, April 24 when two Berkeley grades will look to progress to the next stage of each respective competition.

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Illawarra football sides across the region are gearing up for the next rounds of the Bert Bampton Cup, whilst others will have their eye on the national Australia Cup.

The BBC acts as the sole mens football knockout competition in the region, separate to the regular Illawarra Premier and District League round robin competitions. Essentially, it is sudden death football with no second chances.

Berkeley Sports will host the youth Cup fixture between the Goats and IPL side Albion Park, and then following that will be the all District League affair between Berkeley and Unanderra.

It promises to be a huge night for the club, according to first grade coach Glenn Dorrian.

"At Berkeley we have a really good bunch of talented players in that youth grade team," Dorrian said.

"So I'm looking forward to watching them and see them step up against a Premier League team as well in Albion Park."

As for Dorrian's first grade team, he planned on putting his strongest possible team out there against Unanderra.

"It's one of those things that you sort of treat each round sort of game by game," he said.

"We obviously played the first round [of the Bert Bampton Cup] before the league started, so we had a full squad and then you start playing midweek games and then you've got to just assess it individually. But I think Unanderra would probably be in the same spot with a couple of players out.

"So it'll be interesting to see the side that they line up with. But we're playing at home, and we're looking forward to the game."

Kickoff for the first grade fixture on Wednesday is 8pm, with the Youth fixture prior at 6pm.

Other Bert Bampton Cup games this week includes a double header on Tuesday, April 22 with two all IPL affairs between Albion Park and Bulli and Corrimal against South Coast United.

Other fixtures in the Cup still to be played are: Tarrawanna vs Warilla, Wollongong Olympic vs Fernhill, Port Kembla vs Wollongong United, Cringila vs Coniston, and Shellharbour vs Helensburgh.

Fixtures are pencilled in to be played on the weekend of May 4-5, with clubs given a 14-day window around that time to play the fixture.

Illawarra teams will also have one eye on upcoming Australia Cup fixtures.

The Australia Cup is the sole national knockout competition, involving teams from all levels from as high as the professional A-League to grassroots football.

The draw for the latest round was released just last week, with Illawarra clubs learning their fate.

IPL club Cringila will tackle Rydalmere Lions at John Crehan Park on Tuesday, April 23, 8pm kickoff.

Other fixtures yet to have locked in fixtures include: Wollongong Olympic vs Sydney Olympic, Wollongong Wolves vs Hills United/Waverley Old Boys, Shellharbour vs Coogee United, Wollongong United vs Central Coast United, and Coniston vs Panorama.