Mid Northern need kick-start

MID Northern will be looking to sharpen their weapon depository as they enter Round 10 of the Bayleys Southern Districts Premiers.

The Hukerenui side travelled to Whangarei last weekend and were lucky to escape with a 20-8 win over Old Boys Marist after the home side restricted Mid Northern to scoring only five points in the first half.

"Our kicking wasn't right and the boys were a bit lazy," Mid Northern coach Craig Edwards said of his team's first-half scare - which saw them trailing, 8-5, at the break.

"Our boys got a bit of a rev up at halftime. Our assistant coach David Holwell got a bit fired up [as well] and he doesn't normally do that."

Sitting second on the table, Mid Northern host Hora Hora at Hukerenui tomorrow and will be looking to get a win to further their intentions of playoff footy later in the season.

Hora Hora will have plenty of momentum as they come off off a dominant performance during the previous round, in which they dispatched the Western Sharks 46-19 at Farmlands Park.

In other matches, bottom-of-the ladder Kamo host the ailing Western Sharks at Kamo Sports Park.

After suffering several heavy defeats in recent matches, the Western Sharks will be hoping to get a win on the board to prop up the back-end of their season.

Old Boys Marist play Mid Western tomorrow in Whangarei.

After a tight contest against Otamatea in round nine which they lost 24-20, Mid Western will be looking to hold on to their top three position on the leaderboard.

Meanwhile, Old Boys Marist will be hoping to better their sixth position on the points table. They can achieve this with a good victory and a bonus point.

In the remaining matches of the round, Wellsford travel to Otamatea in what promises to be one of the more entertaining games to be played tomorrow.

If Otamatea can replicate their form from last weekend's win over Mid Western, they could topple competition leaders Wellsford and record one of the biggest upsets of the competition so far.

Lastly, fifth placed Waipu will host Hikurangi at Caledonian Park tomorrow in a match that will see the in-form Waipu as favourites to come away with a win.