Feilding United visit Wembley Park today, keen for a first ever Federation League win over hosts Wanganui City, as the latter looks to recover from two straight defeats.
Last weekend in Palmerston North, City were beaten by a Marist side who saw the decisions and fortunes fall in their favour with a 3-1 win, and then Taradale FC were at Wembley a fortnight ago to inflict the same scoreline against the locals.
For coach Karl Hayward, it has been a head scratching week with injuries yet again dictating selections as he struggles to be able to find any consistency in his processes.
Captain David Mulford looks to be sidelined for a few weeks with a work related injury (broken toes), key defender cum-midfielder Collie Siew looks a long-term spectator with a recurring groin strain and Zane Robinson is battling tonsillitis in the short term.
Add in suspension for defender Jack Judd-Nuttall from last week's outing and Hayward has to dig deep into the playing depth of the club.
Stalwart Ben Toyne looks to make a brief return to help the cause as City face a Thursday match this week as well (away to the Redsox) and the reshuffle of positions and personnel may well open the door for reserve team players to make their mark.
Youngster Jamie Lambe may well get an opportunity after showing marked improvement and the benefit of training with the Central Football Talent Centres over the summer.
Today for City could well be the fillip they require to kickstart their season after a mediocre start to the year of one draw, two losses, and coming up against Feilding at home may well provide the chance for the side to gain that always confidence boosting first league win.
Feilding, for their part, always prove dogged opponents for any side and while they may have been sitting near the foot of the table last season, they will never give up as a group for the full 90 minutes.
They may well be a little underdone in terms of competitive football so far, with their scheduled first fixture against Team Taranaki on Easter Weekend being postponed, the following week against Redsox resulted in a 1-3 loss, and last weekend they sat out the bye.
Both teams today are more than aware that less than maximum points will let the lead slip further away and that could well prove a major hurdle given the limited amount of games to play catch up in a point's race of the seven team league.
It could well prove a competitive and entertaining afternoon, and the side who handle what could well be a slick surface the best may well have the advantage.
Kickoff 2.30pm.
Other fixtures:
Western Premiership: Wanganui Athletic 1st v Takaro Titans, Wembley Park 2, 2.30pm; Redsox Rovers v Wanganui City Reserves, Memorial Park, 12.45pm.
Manawatu Women's (Sunday): PN Marist Mysteries v Wanganui Athletic Women.
Wanganui Men: City Hammers v Castlecliff Utd, 12.30pm, 6; Athletic Weekenders v Castlecliff Braves, 12.30pm, 7; Collegiate 1sts v City Thirstys, 12.30pm, 8; Cosmos Classics v Marist Celtic, 12.30pm, 9. City Development v Castlecliff Gold, 2.30pm, 6; Cosmos v Marist Casuals, 2.30, 9.
Wanganui Women: Girls College v WHS 2nd XI, 12.30, 2; Castlecliff Strappers v Castlecliff Scrappers, 2.30pm, 5; City Women v Athletic Ladies, 2.30, 7; Collegiate 1sts v Marist Women, 2.30, 8. WHS 1st XI bye.