If vengeance is a heavenly prerogative, North Force are praying for a healthy dose of divinity at practice this week.
The Northland side will begin the second round of the Northern Region First Division tomorrow at Kamo looking to avenge the 0-6 walloping they took at the hands of Papatoetoe atthe beginning of April in Auckland.
"We owe these guys big time and it's a good chance to show how far we've come on since the start of the season," coach Scott Burgess said.
In recent weeks, the team has shown signs that they can mount a more consistent threat in the league, following their shaky start to the season. They were particularly lifted, after keeping their first clean sheet of the season, by an away 1-0 win over Lynn-Avon last weekend taking them out of the relegation zone.
"The challenge this week is to front up and put in a performance that we can be proud of in front of our own supporters., It's one thing to win away from home but there's nothing worse than following that up with a poor performance at home," Burgess said.
The team welcomes back midfielder Danny Lavalle and defender Cody Lacour into the side and their return could even pose a selection problem or two for the coaching staff.
"If we can put together two clean sheets back to back then I think confidence will shoot up and hopefully that will be enough to keep us away from the relegation zone for the rest of the round," he said.
North Force reserves kick off the show at Kamo this weekend at 12.45pm, followed by the main event at 2.45pm.
In local football, the second round of the Stafford-Choat competition gets under way with the game of the round likely to be the clash between Northland premier grade sides FC Whangarei and Kerikeri at Morningside Park at 2pm.
In other matches Kamo Reserves take on Bream Bay Flyers, FC Whangarei Pacifika host Madhatters Black, Kamo's division two side takes on Central Brown, Marist play Onerahi, while Kamo host Madhatters Green at Tikipunga Park and Kaitaia play Bay Cosmos at Kaitaia College.
North Force women seek back-to-back wins when they play Hibiscus Coast in the Northern Football Federations' premier division on Sunday. Their match kicks off at Kamo at 1pm.
