Football: North Force fired up

North Force are hoping for retribution and to make a bit of club history when they take on struggling Metro at Phyllis St Park on Saturday.

Metro beat the Whangarei side 3-2 in the first match of their Northern League first division season back in March.

Coach Bruce Plunkett said while that is motivation enough, the chance of notching up three wins in a row and starting the second round on a positive note will also help fire up the team.

"It's been a long time since North Force has won three in a row, so long I can't even remember when it was and if we can't do it against one of the bottom placed teams then we'll be very disappointed," Plunkett said.

The side has turned around its poor start to the season in recent weeks and while Plunkett said although they are confident of a win over Metro, they can't afford to be cocky.

"We haven't earned the right to be overconfident in the competition yet so that shouldn't be a problem," he said.

North Force sit in eighth place on the table now, well out of the relegation zone, with Metro second bottom in 11th. With the situation fluid in the bottom half of the table it will be a while before North Force can fully discount the prospect of relegation.

A win in the match at Phyllis St will add to Metro's woes and that can only be good news for North Force.

The Northland Men's Premier League starts this weekend with grading now complete. Kamo host Central Brown, while FC Whangarei host Kerikeri and Tikipunga host Madhatters Green.