Football: Latest win bodes well for Norths

North Force players Ben Porter, left and Thomas Berry put the squeeze on an Albany United midfielder in their clash at Kamo. Photo/John Stone

An emphatic 4-0 win over Albany has left North Force with high hopes of cementing their promotion chances when the second round of the Northern League competition begins in two weeks' time.

North Force coach Russell Baddeley said the solid performance at Kamo gives them something tangible to build on.

"It's a very confident North Force squad at the moment and it's really up to us now to try and kick on from here and get promotion," he said.

The win gives them an eight win, three loss record from the first round and leaves them in equal second on the points table with the top three teams gaining promotion into Northern League Division 1 at the end of the season.

"They're playing good football with good shape and they dominated for almost all of the game on Saturday making it very hard for Albany to create chances," Baddeley said.

Goals to Steve Schimmel, Josh Hacker and a good solo effort by Jeremy Rintoul gave North Force a comfortable 3-0 half-time lead before Scott Burgess completed the victory with the final goal. They might have added to the tally with a couple more second half goals as well.

The defence recorded their fourth clean sheet in five games and Baddeley praised the work of goalkeeper Shane Stanners and central defenders Jeremy Rintoul and Dom Fromont. Scott Burgess was once again a powerhouse in the midfield but Baddeley's player of the day was his fellow midfielder Joseph Luiten.

The coach welcomed next weekend's bye saying team doctor Simon Wilkinson was one of the busiest men at Kamo on Saturday.

"We've got about seven or eight guys carrying knocks or other minor injuries at the moment so that's going to give us a bit more time to fix a few of the boys up and get them right before the next game," he said.

The league almost has a two tier feel to it with fellow frontrunner Forrest Hill Milford spanking Claudelands Rovers 11-0 to stay ahead of North Force on goal difference.

The top six or seven clubs have been easily outstripping the bottom few clubs in the first round of the competition and North Force's promotion chances could rest on some key second round clashes.

Form on the road could hold the key for the Whangarei-based Northland side, with a healthy home advantage almost a given, the team notching up their sixth victory out of seven games at Kamo against the fourth from bottom club Albany.

Northern League Division Two Results:

Forrest Hill Milford (Jamie Mason 3, Harley Rodeka, David Mulligan 3, Chris Riley 2, Ben Roberts, Andy Boyens) 11 Claudelands Rovers 0 (HT: 2-0); Waiuku (Derek Sinclair 2, Luke Chapman) 3 Warkworth 0 (HT: 1-0); Oratia United (Stuart Roberts) 1 - 0 Lynn-Avon United (HT: 1-0); North Force (Steve Schimmel, Josh Hacker, Jeremy Rintoul, Scott Burgess) 4 Albany United 0 (HT: 3-0); Papakura City 3 (Harry Hillary-Jenkins 2, Cory Mackay) Fencibles United 1