Football: Ngongotaha must rise to occasion

Ngongotaha player Van Ewert against Otumoetai FC at Stembridge Rd last season. Photo / File

Senior football returns to Rotorua this weekend, with Ngongotaha AFC playing their first competition match at home.

Ngongotaha will host Hukanui Rototuna FC (Hamilton) in their first round match tomorrow at Stembridge Rd in the Waibop Federation One league.

Hukanui Rototuna were promoted to the Federation One league after a successful 2013 season in Federation Two.

It will be interesting to see how they fare in the Waikato Bay of Plenty region premier competition.

Ngongotaha, who are being coached by Shane Davis, will look to repeat their early season form from last year, which saw them lead the competition at the halfway point of the season.

They will be favourites to defeat Hukanui Rototuna.

Meanwhile, Rotorua United will play their opening round match against the Ngongotaha AFC reserve team in the Waibop Federation Two league.

United were relegated from Federation One last season, for the first time in the club's history, and will be eager to earn promotion back to the top grade.

United are being coached by Rich Barter this season who has enjoyed a good pre-season with the Rotorua United side.

They will be favourites to beat Ngongotaha at Stembridge Rd tomorrow.

Waibop draw tomorrow:

Federation One (games start at 2.45pm):
Otumoetai v AFC Fury, Fergusson Park; Melville United v Waikato Unicol, Gower Park; Cambridge v Tauranga Old Blues, John Kerkhof Park; Tauranga City v Taupo, Links Ave; Tauranga Boys' College v Matamata Swifts, Southey Park; Ngongotaha v Hukanui Rototuna, Stembridge Rd.

Federation Two:
Cambridge v West Hamilton, John Kerkhof Park; Tauranga City v Katikati, Links Ave; Papamoa FC v Tauranga Old Blues, Gordon Spratt Reserve; Ngongotaha AFC v Rotorua United, Jesse Martin Park; Te Awamutu v Tokoroa, Te Awamutu Stadium.