The former Socceroo and Melbourne Victory striker is expected to line up for Murray United after serving a one-match suspension –  the result of a red card against Brunswick City.

Facing Thompson, who has scored five times in 14 appearances for the Albury-Wodonga based team, is a challenge the Ballarat is ready to take on.

City FC coach Danny Gnidjic said many of his young squad had grown up watching Thompson’s career, so to play against him is certainly enticing.  

Thompson embarked on his soccer career as a youngster at Wodonga after moving from New Zealand and was lured back to the region after ending his distinguished A-League career last year.

City FC will meet Murray without the steadying influence of Shaun Romein though, who will have to watch on from the grandstand after a red card in a 4-1 loss to Moreland Zebras.

Gnidjic said it was disappointing to lose Romein, who had had a fine season. “He’s been a really good.”

Liam Harding and Alexander Antonelli are the leading contenders to to fill the vacancy left by Romein.

Ballarat and Murray take similar records with the season in the home straight, with each on 27 points.

City FC is sixth with eight wins and three draws in the west conference, while the visitors have seven wins and six draws to sit fourth in the east. Like Ballarat, United is coming off a loss.

Gnidjic said Ballarat had a strong record against teams with similar records.

He said City FC needed to work on cutting out elementary errors which opened up opportunities for rivals to hurt it on the scoreboard.

Kick-off is at 4pm, with this fixture beginning a busier than usual week for City FC.

Ballarat will play out the last 30 minutes of its fog interrupted round 18 match against Northcote on at Morshead Park on Wednesday night.

Northcote was leading 3-0 when play was abandoned on 60 minutes because of thick fog.

NPL rules stated that the score can only be deemed final if 80 per cent — or 72 minutes — of a match has been played.

NPL2 WEST VIC LADDER: Northcote  45, Moreland Zebras 38, Moreland  37, Brunswick 29, Sunshine George Cross 29, Ballarat City 27, Whittlesea 25, Melbourne Victory 22, Werribee 22, Bendigo 1