Soccer: New look to Federation 1

Rotorua football fans and players will be fizzing as the 2013 season begins.

Ngongotaha AFC and Rotorua United get their seasons underway tomorrow in the WaiBOP Federation 1 league, after both finishing mid-table last year.

Ngongotaha will square off against Melville at Stembridge Rd tomorrow afternoon while cross-town rivals Rotorua United play away at AFC Fury.

Last year's champions, Taupo, will start as heavy favourites for the season after losing just one fixture last year in the 22-game season.

Their first match will be against Waikato Unicol on the well-managed Crown Park pitch in Taupo, where the Challenge Shield will also be at stake.

Three new clubs enter the competition this season, including former Northern League side Matamata and newly promoted sides Cambridge and Tauranga City.

Cambridge will host Old Blues, Tauranga City will host Otumoetai and Whakatane will meet Matamata.

Last season's runners-up, Claudelands Rovers, were successful in winning their play-off fixture and were subsequently promoted to the Northern Football League, while Taupo decided to stay in the Federation 1 league.

Division two games:

Cambridge v Old Blues, Tauranga City v Tokoroa, Tauranga Boys' College v Papamoa, Hukanui-Rototuna v Rotorua United, West Hamilton v Matamata, Te Awamutu bye.