Football: Feast of local league action to enjoy

Wanganui Athletic Cosmos player John Unsworth contests the ball against Collegiate's Jamie Clarke in the 1-0 win by Collegiate last weekend. Photo/Rob Van Dort

While the big boys are strutting their stuff out on the main Wembley Park ground, the surrounding fields will be abuzz with Local League action this afternoon.

Starting at 12.30pm, the Wanganui Athletic Cosmos face the Wanganui City Reserves, which could see the wily Cosmos use their skilful possession game to prevent City from getting into the match.

However, City's youthful side will know that if they can win the ball, their pace could turn the match in their favour quickly.

St John Castlecliff 1sts face Castlecliff United, who are still yet to find their first win of the season, while the Wanganui Collegiate Boys 1st XI will be up against the Wanganui Athletic Reserves team, who will have their ranks bolstered with their first team at home.

The round is capped off with the first of the Marist derbies, seeing the clear favourites Marist Celtics take on the newest Marist team, the Bhoys, who will be donning the club's orange kit for the match.

There has already been plenty of banter around the club, and with both sides carrying lighter squads due to injury this could be a tightly fought match.

Wanganui High School Athletic Internationals play the Athletic Weekenders at 2.30pm in what is my pick for the match of the day in the Local League. The Weekenders are coming off the back of a big win on the main ground last weekend and will be looking for three points to push themselves further up the table, while the WHS boys have shown they have some talent to burn if they can put it all together on the day.

This promises to be a fast paced match and could be high scoring at both ends of the pitch.

Hoping to carry on last week's form, the Wanganui City Thirsties go up against a Castlecliff Braves team, who are backing up from spoiling St Anthony's winning run last weekend.

The Braves should claim another scalp this week, but the Thirsties have shown they do have what it takes to steal points from over-confident teams.

Over on Park 8, the Marist Casuals will be hosting the Total Automotive Wanganui City Hammers.

Hammers will be confident that they can claim seven points of a maximum nine from the Marist teams, but the Casuals will not let them have it easily and will put up a fight for 90 minutes hoping to spoil the Hammers plundering.

In the women's league fixtures, Wanganui Girls College play the Castlecliff Saints, while the Castlecliff Scrappers take on the Clive Barritt Builders Marist Women.

The final women's match of the round is being played over at the Collegiate School No1 pitch, where the Wanganui Collegiate Girls 1st XI host the Wanganui High School Girls 1st XI in a battle for school pride.

Finally, if you're looking for a football fix on Sunday, get over to Wembley to watch Castlecliff St Anthony's play the Wanganui City Renovators.

This should be quite a good match to watch, as both teams play similar styles, and will test each other for 90 minutes.

It's a full-on weekend of football for Wanganui, so leave the lawns for Sunday, pack up the family, and enjoy some free of charge sporting entertainment over at Wembley Park.