Blues revved up to make history

IMPACT PLAYER: Fane Morgan could be in for a memorable week. PHOTO/FILE

Petone v Napier City Rovers
Central League Football

Motivational ammunition ... yes, Napier City Rovers player-coach Bill Robertson will have plenty for his Central League football team today.

TSB Bank Napier City Rovers will play Petone on the turf at Memorial Park in the capital. Petone are the only team to beat the Central League champions this season and that 1-0 victory was recorded at Bluewater Stadium on May 24.

"We owe them one and it would be good to take the O'Brien Shield back off them too," Robertson said last night.

He also spent a fair chunk of his team talks this week reminding his troops of the history they could create by the time the final whistle is blown this afternoon.

Should the Danny Wilson-captained Blues score four goals they will beat the Central League record of 81 goals for a season.

"That record has been around since 1996 when Gisborne City set it in a 12-team league. If we can score 82 in a 10-team league that would be fantastic," Robertson said.

A visitors victory would see the Blues equal the record for the most league points in a season, 49, set by Wellington Olympic in 2010.

"That would be the icing on the cake but we're expecting a tough game. They defended deep when they beat us and we're expecting them to do the same so we're going to have to work hard to break them down," Robertson said.

Should the Blues tick these goals off it would complete a memorable week for 19-year-old forward Fane Morgan.

He came off the bench during last weekend's Chatham Cup semifinal win and yesterday he was named in the Hawke's Bay United Youth League team.

"Fane is a good impact player with his pace in the forward role and we will probably use him in a similar manner today," Robertson said.

It's no surprise Robertson has stuck with the same squad used in last weekend's win in what will be the final rehearsal for the September 20 Chatham Cup final against Eastern Suburbs in Auckland.

"It's important we maintain our momentum. During the week we have off we will train heavily so our standards don't drop," Robertson added.

The Rovers team:

Ruben Parker Hanks (GK), 2 Daniel Ball, 5 Finlay Milne, 6 Miles John, 7 Stephen Hoyle, 8 Ryan Tinsley, 9 Angus Kilkolly, 10 Saul Halpin, 11 Tom Biss, 14 Josh Stevenson, 15 James Hoyle, 16 Danny Wilson (c), 17 Fergus Neil, 19 Bill Robertson, 20 Fane Morgan, 23 Kyle Baxter (RGK).