Holiday Inn Match Preview: Royals welcome Beaumaris to Cross Keys for Friday night football

Essendon Royals are back in action at home on Friday night, when they look to end their two game winless run against Beaumaris at Cross Keys Reserve.

Our weekly previews are brought to you by the Geelong Holiday Inn, as we look ahead to the upcoming rounds of action.

Royals surrendered an early one goal advantage courtesy of a goal from Dean Clarke in a 2-1 defeat to Box Hill United last weekend.

Watch the highlights from our 2-1 loss to Box Hill United.

They now fall to seventh on the ladder behind Pascoe Vale and Boroondara-Carey Eagles, who jumped them into fifth and sixth respectively.

Essendon’s next test comes against bottom placed Beaumaris, who will be buoyed following a 1-1 draw with high flying North Sunshine Eagles last weekend at home.

Beaumaris led through Jonathan Creamer at half-time, but their lead was cancelled out in the second-half by a strike from Ryan Stewart.

Despite the draw, Beaumaris are still two points behind second-last Doveton and four points behind third-last Goulburn Valley Suns as they look to stave off the drop to State League One.

Royals won the reverse fixture earlier this season 3-1, thanks to a brace from Jordan Adeyemi and another from Ethan Georgopoulos, and will need more of the same from their attacking tandem if they are to record their sixth win of the season.

Last Time They Met: Check out the highlights from the last time these two sides met this season

Kick-off is at 8:30 PM, with the Under 23s in action just beforehand at 6:15 PM.

The Under 23s lost 5-2 to Box Hill last week, falling to seventh on the ladder, while Beaumaris are just behind them on the ladder in eighth.