Football: North Force have No1 spot within their grasp

A look of disbelief from North Force striker Nathan Steel as a free header came so close on the weekend. North Force are also close to perching themselves on top of the table early in the season. Photo/Ron Burgin

Come Monday evening North Force could be top of the Northern Region second division table - that's if their next two games go to plan.

The Northland football side face a double-header this weekend, starting tomorrow in Auckland against Forrest Hill before returning home to Kamo to face Oratia United.

If North Force are to perch on top of the table, they will be a far cry from recent years where they went 24 games without a win. But their coach believes they have the promise after going back-to-back in the last two weeks.

"It's about momentum, we've got two wins in a row and if we get three wins then you're onto a roll," coach Russell Baddeley said, noting they have two wins from three matches so far.

"I don't want them to ease off against Forrest Hill, they're probably not one of the better teams in the league but if we go in thinking we don't need to play with the same intensity level [as we have in the last two weekends] we'll get burgled.

"We've got to get those three points down there."

There's no doubting North Force are in form ahead of tomorrow's 1pm match, having won their last two matches against Papakura 4-3 and Tauranga 2-1, after losing 4-3 in week one to Waiuku.

Of concern for Baddeley is the injury toll, with some players taking knocks after last weekend's 2-1 win.

"The beauty is I have a squad of 23-24 so we can protect players," he said, indicating that if his side could get ahead early that he may rotate some of his main players.

"Trainings will be light [this week] but it'll be about tidying up our structure."

Baddeley accepted that recovery would be a huge part of the weekend for them after they initially had the game moved to Friday from Saturday.

"The bunch of boys we've got are all determined, got the quality to go with the determination, there's no egos, they all work hard for each other.

"I said I wanted to get the best players in Northland here, the best players should be playing for North Force, and if I look in that changing room I think they are all there."

Baddeley said the next steps for the team were easy.

"Our intention now is to just keep focusing one game at a time and three points at a time. The boys really want to try and get promotion if not win the title, that's what's in their heads at the moment. We know we've got a long way to go so the boys know we'll be working hard in training."