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This weekend promises to be an exciting and entertaining display of Wanganui football over at Wembley Park, with Devon Homes Wanganui Athletic and Wanganui City 1sts returning home and looking to continue their charmed run of form.
Athletic AFC will be hoping to continue building their season today, but with Team Taranaki and North End AFC both just two points ahead of them on the Lotto Federation League table, the Reds will need to capitalise on a wounded Palmerston North Marist Reserves side to stay within reach.
Having closely won their fixture against Palmerston North Boys' High last weekend, Troy Smith and the other coaching staff should have been focusing on their finishing this week at training, with the aim to ensure they can make the most of the chances they will create today.
While the Marist have conceded 16 goals in three matches, they won't be giving them away easily.
Players like Anthony Bell and Kyle Graham-Luke, who should be returning from injury today, will need to step up to the mark and simply put the ball into the back of the net, while veteran keeper Nick Hayward will be searching for his first clean sheet of the season.
The game will kick off at 2.30pm on the main ground at Wembley Park.
My prediction for the match will be for the Reds to find their form and the back of the net.
It won't be a blowout but I'm hoping to see the form that the Reds have threatened to show so far this season.
City will be hoping to maintain their winning ways in their Western Premiership fixture against a strong Hokowhitu team at 12.30pm on Wembley No1.
Hokowhitu have conceded just one goal in their opening games and have managed to score nine, while City are yet to concede and have a healthy 11-goal scoring record.
When two very attacking teams face each other, the match could either be very open and entertaining, or end up locked in a bitter stalemate.
Coach Kelvin Francis will be asking his young charges not to sit back and to take the game to Hokowhitu.
With the impetus coming from players like Jake Lockett, Jamie Lambe and the fiery Chris Annabell, Francis has the talent to formulate just such an attacking game plan.
City keeper Jason Fergusson, who is yet to let one slip past his sure hands, will be resolute in ensuring his defensive line don't forget their duties, so he can hang on to his unbeaten record.
With such an exciting game in prospect, I'm predicting that Wanganui City may struggle to get over top of Hokowhitu today, as the attacking natures of these two teams will cancel each other out.
Having the home ground and home support advantage might just be enough to see them over the line though.
In the local leagues, today offers up plenty of exciting fixtures for the football fan.
For the opening round at 12.30pm, Total Automotive Wanganui City Hammers will be looking to retain top spot on the table with their match against the gutsy Wanganui Athletic Weekenders, while the Marist Casuals will be hoping to bring some of last week's scoring form into their match against a spurned St John Castlecliff 1sts, who are searching for their first win of 2014.
My pick for match of the day in is between Marist Celtic, who return this weekend after having a bye last Saturday, and a promising Wanganui Athletic Reserves team, also at 12.30pm.
They will be searching for another three points as they look to reclaim the title after a two-year absence.
Castlecliff St Anthony's will meet the Wanganui Collegiate Boys 1st XI at the earlier time of 11.30pm, with the Saints wanting to claim maximum points as they surge up the table.
The second round at 2.30pm will see the Wanganui City Thirsties come up against the Wanganui High School Athletic International team.
While the Thirsties have been on the receiving end of some one-sided scoring so far this season, they will surely see this as an opportunity to put some points on the board.
After having a weekend to recoup, the Athletic Cosmos will face a buoyant Marist Boys squad, with both teams hungry for a crucial win at this stage of the season.
The Castlecliff Braves, who were unlucky not to claim a win last week against Collegiate, are up against a rampant Wanganui City Reserves team, who are coming off the back of a 13-0 thumping of Castlecliff United. They have the bye this week.
Two big games on No1 at Wembley today and plenty of local matches on offer, so put away the lawn mower, pack up the kids, and get yourself into the Roly Taylor grandstand with a pot of hot chips.