FC Whangarei will be bolstered by some of their North Force players for their match against Madhatters in a shortened Northland Premier League programme tomorrow. North Force's senior side has the weekend off, giving players like Adam Sharp, Steve Crowley, Kyle Mac and Jamie Burgess the opportunity to play for theirparent club. It couldn't have come at a better time for FC Whangarei Club after their ignoble exit from the Northland League Cup last weekend, beaten 2-15 by Kamo Swifts. The North Force players should give the side a realistic chance of changing their fortunes in what has been a difficult year for the club's senior side after winning the league last season. The other match played in the league tomorrow is at Baysports Park where Kerikeri host bottom-placed Central Brown. The break in the league programme is caused by the first round of the United Soccer 1 Federation Cup competition. Tikipunga face a battle royale as they take on runaway US1 Premiership leaders, East Coast Bays, at Bay City Park. East Coast Bays are unbeaten in the league this season and have international players like Jeff Campbell in the side, making a second round berth something of a faint hope for Tikipunga. Stranger things have happened in cup competitions however and with their North Force players available for Tikipunga, like the Taylor brothers Aaron and Leon and Mark Ruddell, the visitors will have some hope of an upset. The second Northland side entered in the competition, Kamo, face Warkworth at Shoesmith Park. Warkworth are currently third in the US1 first division and will be a handful, but Kamo are the current leaders of the Northland Premier League and fancy their chances. North Force Reserves still have their chance to pick up some silverware this season when they play Forrest Hill Reserves in the US1 Reserves Cup and Plate at Becroft Park. The young squad was knocked out of the cup in the first round, but will be keen to book themselves a second round match in the plate with a win tomorrow. • FC Whangarei v Madhatters, Morningside 1, 2.45pm tomorrow.
