CITY PRIDE: City's Jamie Lambe in action against the Manawatu Red Sox earlier in the month.PHOTO/SHARON FRANCIS 04052015WCSUPFOOTBALL2
IT'LL BE down to desire for Evolution Painting & Decorating Wanganui City this weekend in one of the biggest games they'll play this season, travelling to New Plymouth's Pukekura Park to take on Lotto Federation League leaders Team Taranaki tomorrow.
Back home at Wembley Park, the Wanganui City Reserves and the Wanganui City Renovators have their Western Premiership fixtures at 12.30pm against Red Sox Manawatu A and the Massey Men's 1sts respectively.
Meanwhile, Devon Homes Wanganui Athletic travel to the Linton Army Camp looking to continue their march up the table against the Linton 1sts.
Kelvin Francis, coach of the Wanganui City 1sts, had little to say about what tactics he'll be taking into the match against Taranaki when spoken to yesterday - instead putting the focus on the necessity of his team to step up to the plate against such a strong opposition.
City played well in their last outing at home against Taranaki, conceding an early penalty and then a last minute goal to finish 2-0 down, so will have the feeling that they could well be the bogey team for the table leaders, whose goal this season is to push for a berth in the Central League.
But with this game being away from home, and held on a Sunday, the mindset and preparedness of the boys in gold will need to be on point from the moment they step on the bus to travel north.
Taranaki will also be ready for this match, having dealt out an 11-1 lesson to Palmerston North Boys' High in their last league match, and surely aim to send City home with their tails between their legs.
Both teams have had the benefit of a week off to recuperate due to cup fixtures taking the fore, although several players in the composite Taranaki team would have played last weekend in cup fixtures, so will have the benefit of some game time under their belt.
I wish the lads well in this match, but my gut feeling is that this may be a bridge to far.
If they can wrangle a draw out of this one, I feel they will have done a momentous task, and will be celebrating it like a win.
The Wanganui City Reserves may well be smarting a little after last weekend's narrow 3-2 loss to Hawera in the Federation Cup, but they will have their recent victory over the Marist 3rds fresh in their memory as they host the Red Sox on the main ground at Wembley.
Reserves keeper Leo Silvagni had an outstanding match last weekend, keeping the scoreline reasonable in what could have blown out to double digits, and he again will need to be in top form, with Red Sox As currently sitting atop the Western Premiership table with 25 goals in their "for" column after just eight games.
Reserves Marley Stynder, the midfield general, will have his work cut out for him, along with the experienced and wily James Barnes, to not only provide the attacking impetus for the team but also to be the first line of defence in shutting down any promising attacks the Red Sox may look to form.
I'm picking this match to be tight and, if the Reserves midfield can control the match, they could be in a good position to steal points from the Red Sox.
The City Renovators may find today's match a little harder than expected, with two key players out through suspension, but that will surely not dent the spirits of City's young development team.
Renovators coach Tex von Kwiatowski was realistic when spoken to last weekend about the goals he's setting and has one eye firmly set on the future.
And with young players like Neihana Kahl, Max Davidson and Tesco Grunwald all building their experience and flourishing in the higher grades, Von Kwiatowski was pleased with his team's growth as a whole.
But while looking to the future is a pleasant thing to do, the reality of this weekend's home fixture against Massey will be what Von Kwiatowski had his young charges focused on this week.
Coming off two straight losses will be playing on the young minds of the Renovators and, given they're missing their stoic midfield conductor, Ben Toyne, through suspension for this clash, it will be up to the rest of the players to combine and perform as a unit if they are to turn around those recent results.
Massey may sit two places behind the fifth-placed Renovators, but have accumulated three wins from their last five matches, and have conceded five fewer goals over the course of the season.
The Renovators will really need to focus on shoring up their defensive effort if they are to be in with a sniff of victory, while not compromising their usual open style of play.
I'm usually the optimist for local teams, but I wonder if this weekend might be a little harder for the Renovators without Toyne's controlling influence in midfield, and Kahl's magical foot finding the back of the net.
I'm picking a draw.
While other Wanganui teams have been stuttering in the Western Premiership, the surprise revelation this season has been the week-to-week performances of Wanganui Athletic.
One could have been forgiven for not expecting too much from Athletic this season, after an exodus of players from last season's Federation League champions left the club making the hard choice to demote themselves to a lower league.
Yet, for the club with a lion on their crest, it seems that lion-hearted spirit has allowed them to rebuild a strong squad, with plenty of youth pushing for starting berths each week at training, coupled with some level-headed experience to guide them to being just three points off the top of the table as they near the midway point of the season.
This weekend will truly be a test of just how far they have come though, as they travel to Linton to take on the Army Camp's premier side, who sit in fourth place, but also four points adrift of the Reds.
Athletic have not lost a match in their last five fixtures, so will not be looking to sully their record today.
It will be a big match for import player Hishi Lama, who will be hoping not to be exposed again this week, and will need to get himself involved in the middle of the park on attack and, crucially, in defence.
The Reds will also be hoping for the return of Chris Burney to his central defensive duties, after being a late withdrawal last weekend due to illness, returning some continuity into their back four.
This game should be a tight encounter but based on the recent performances of Athletic, and the promise they've been showing, I'm picking this match to be a 3-1 victory.