Soccer PHOTO/FILE
More than a handy head start is what Wanganui Athletic Women will take on the road tomorrow when they look to complete their play-off series for a Central League berth against Wellington's Stop Out at 1pm.
Effectively with a 2-0 lead over their opposition, they have now asked Stop Out to perform what they could not do last Sunday at Wembley Park to score at least two goals, without conceding.
Stop Out couldn't find a way to get, at the very least, one goal, so the prospect for this week's home team will be an uphill task.
Athletic, for their part, have done a lot of their hard work already by keeping that clean sheet and should they grab a goal on the road - remembering that effectively each road goal is worth two - it will force Stop Out to perform something of a miracle by scoring at least four to take the game into extra time.
Dave Downes and his girls will not be thinking of the mathematics yet as they are ahead in the tie and only if things become tight would any anxiety arise.
That would be negative thinking, and with the season so far bearing good results with a Manawatu league title and a Federation Cup runner-up finish, it would be the icing on the cake for the Central League promotion to be confirmed around 3pm tomorrow.
That match signs off the season for the ladies, and this afternoon will see the curtain come down on the men's season for 2013.
Last week Athletic Cosmos Classics and Marist Casuals played out an exciting Bowl Finale with Cosmos reigning 2-1 in a nailbiter.
Goals came for the Classics via Mike Cronin and Jason Clarke, and for the Casuals, Dave Newman. Play was competitive but fair.
More silverware for the Athletic trophy cabinet. Athletic have another chance this afternoon to add more with a 12.30pm plate final match on Ground 1 when they take on a determined Castlecliff A side.
Both teams formed combinations from within their respective clubs Castlecliff comprising a lot from their Top 6 sides, Gold and Braves, who beat City Under-19s last week to book their place against an Athletic side combining youth and experience in the form of 1st team and Cosmos (Top 6) players. Both sides will be looking to end their season's on a high, and the Castlecliff side may be giving a hint of what could have been had a "Top" selection played all season long.
Athletic will be wary of the Castlecliff side, but have plenty of determination with some wise players.
The "Cup", now 100 years old this season, will be guaranteed to sit another year with the holders, City FC. Both combatants in the 2.30pm final are coming from the same clubrooms with City 1sts hosting City Hammers.
There will be little charity given by the younger 1sts team to their clubmates as they will take any challenge on its merits.
And after a long and not-so-successful 2013 Federation league campaign, some solace would be found in defending the title they convincingly won last season.
Hammers will hope to put up a better performance than in last season's pool match against the same opponents when they were somewhat embarrassed with a double-figure loss.
It is something that Hammers are not used to, being the only senior side in Wanganui yet to taste defeat this year a record that should fall this afternoon given the level of opposition across the pitch today.
It shouldn't, however, be a cakewalk for the younger City 1sts as determination and a handful of handy players helping out the Hammers promises a competitive and entertaining afternoon to sign off the year.