Battling wet and windy conditions is the norm for winter sport, but to say this has been a long hard winter for Northland FC's squad is an understatement.
This weekend they play their first home game since May 28, a brief respite before hitting the road again.
While the results may not look good on paper with the side bottom of the table, most games have been close, often coming down to one point conceded in the last minutes.
Despite the losses, the Northland FC board is strongly in support of the coaches and players and what they are achieving this season.
With a strong and committed group of experienced players at the core, the coaches are creating a clear pathway for young players from the talent centre programme.