Havelock North Wanderers are amid a mouth-watering three-way tie that will separate the men from the boys this Saturday.
The Cole Murray-sponsored villagers, third on the Lotto Federation League table, host second-placed North End AFC (Palmerston North) at Guthrie Park, Havelock North, in a 3pm kick off.
Energyworks Team Taranaki, who are setting the pace on the top of the ladder, are tied on four wins each with North End and the Wanderers but a superior goal difference separates the trio.
Havelock North coach Bruce Barclay said the eight-team league, played across other Central Football regions of Manawatu, Wanganui, Feilding and Taranaki, should be a humdinger, with the top teams making an early statement.
The Ian McGrath-coached Team Taranaki are a composite side who still yearn for their place back in the region's premier winter league, the Lotto Central League.
McGrath's team lost their perch several seasons ago to Cru Bar Maycenvale United who survived two seasons after their promotion to Central League to settle back into the predominantly Bay-based Pacific Premiership.
"We'll also have Team Taranaki at home," says Barclay of the Saturday, May 16, game which will kick off at 12.30pm.
The Wanderers are in the Chatham Cup (national knockout) campaign but, like TSB Bank Napier City Rovers (Central League) and Alexander Electrical Napier Marist (premiership), had a bye last weekend.
Taranaki can't compete in any knockout cup matches because of their composite nature.
The Wanderers last Saturday thumped last-placed Red Sox 4-0 at Guthrie Park in their Federation League match.
They started their campaign with a 4-2 away win over Feilding at Timona Park before overwhelming Palmerston North Boys' High School First XI 4-0 and Palmerston North Marist Reserves 3-0, both at home.
The Jamie Dunning-coached Marist are on the top of the premiership table with three wins and a stalemate on 10 points.
Appmed House Port Hill sit a point adrift with a loss while Taradale AFC are on seven points from two wins and a draw, 1-1 at home against Marist in the season opener, but have a game in hand.
Defending champions and the only campaigner outside the Bay, Sunshine Brewery Team Gisborne, are in fourth place on six points after losing 4-2 to Marist at Park Island last Saturday although the visitors also have a game in hand.
Promotem Napier City Rovers, a feeder side to their Central League flagship team, have one victory from four games, against last-placed Western Rangers.
The Blues are tied on three points below Maycenvale and the predominantly schoolboy side, Hastings Old Boys, who have better negative goal differences.
The Chase Arquette-coached Big Barrel Havelock North Wanderers are perched on the No5 rung on four points from a win, loss and draw each but also have a game in hand.
Their game against Port Hill at Marewa Park, Napier, at 3pm this Saturday is the feature game.