The gradual northerner a force for his team

Born and bred Southlander Chris Peck has slowly but surely made his way north over his lifetime and having landed in Whangarei, the North Force coaching staff are hoping their new midfielder will stick around for a while.
Going on the former national league player's first impressions of his new team, it seemed likely he wouldn't be going anywhere too fast.
"I really don't think I've played in a team that has such a good team spirit," the 29-year-old said.
"It helps we have had a good run this season, but there are no egos in the team and everyone is working hard for each other. I've been involved with a lot of teams, and there is always a few characters who try to run the show and get down on the younger guys but there is a really supportive team environment at North Force."
Peck played club football in Christchurch and national league football for Canterbury United over five years after leaving his home town of Invercargill as an 18-year-old to attend university. He then moved to Wellington for work and joined the Miramar Rangers football club, where he enjoyed four successful seasons.
"In my first year with Miramar, in 2004, we won the Chatham Cup which was a cool experience, and then we went on to win the local league. We won that three times while I played for them."
At the end of last year, Peck moved further north to Whangarei with his partner Jessica Haydon-Clarke, a first-year doctor who is working at Whangarei Hospital.
Fate was on the financial analyst's side when Peck's bosses at Pharmac in Wellington offered him a secondment to work with the District Health Board, in Whangarei.
When he inquired about joining a football team, Peck was pointed in North Force's direction, and fitted in immediately with the team's culture, says coach Bruce Plunkett.
"He's class, a very good player. We are lucky to get him and he's been a good addition to the side ... I'd like him to say he had heard Bruce was coaching so he came up here, but he's up here because his partner transferred here," Plunkett said with a laugh.
But Peck was complimentary of Plunkett and the way he was running the North Force side after its troublesome year in 2009, with disruptive coaching issues.
"I'm quite impressed with Bruce and how he has made the move from player to coach - he's done well to get the respect of the guys, and everything he has implemented in the squad so far has paid off."
North Force play Mangere United on Saturday at Kamo Sports Park in round 10 of the Northern Region division one competition.