Marist face tough task against Wests

The fates of both Palmerston North Marist and Western Suburbs appear sealed regardless of what happens this weekend.

The two Central League teams clash at Porirua tomorrow, having had contrasting seasons.

Competition leaders Wests are seven points clear at the top of the table, while Marist appear destined for the drop, five points adrift at the bottom of the table.

Marist’s hopes of surviving relegation took a further hit last weekend when Team Taranaki upset Wairarapa United, which now puts Taranaki eights point ahead of Marist in seventh place.

Taranaki may lose three points for playing an ineligible player in the opening round of the season, but even if they were to happen they would be five points ahead of Marist.

Lower Hutt are five points ahead of Marist and Wellington Olympic are seven ahead.

Marist are desperate for a result and will need to play like they did against Wests in the first round, when they drew 2-all. Marist need to avoid costly lapses, like the ones that led to them blowing a 2-1 lead against Olympic last week, when they lost 4-2.

Marist coach Shane Rufer knows getting a result against Wests will be tough.

‘‘Wests are at the other end of the table, right at the top,’’ he said.

‘‘In football and sport you can win any game but you have to have that lift and desire and of course they are hot favourites.

‘‘We’re at the other end of the scale. What a challenge to go and play against [last Saturday] last year’s champions and the next game is against this year’s likely champions.’’

In other games this weekend, Wellington Olympic host Stop Out, Team Taranaki play Wellington United in New Plymouth, Napier City Rovers host Miramar Rangers and Wairarapa United play Lower Hutt City in Masterton.

The Marist women’s team are away against Stop Out at Lower Hutt and Marist should be too strong in their Capital W League game.

Second-placed Marist still need leaders Upper Hutt to trip up, but there is a possibility of it this weekend when Upper Hutt play Seatoun, who held Marist to a draw three weeks ago.

In the Federation League, the derby match between Massey University and Red Sox-manawatu is likely to decide who will finish bottom of the league.

Massey pulled themselves off the bottom last weekend when they beat Gisborne Thistle and if they can get a result against Red Sox, then they should ensure they don’t finish bottom, but Red Sox won’t make it easy.

Top side Havelock North host Wanganui Athletic and Marist Reserves travel away to play New Plymouth Rangers.

In the Horizons Premiership, the top-of-the-table clash between Hokowhitu Rangers and Wanganui City at Memorial Park will go a long way to deciding who wins the league.

The only game Kia Ora have lost all season is the Coast to Coast final, when they were beaten 32-26 by the Coastal Cobras from Taranaki.

Otherwise, their closest game in the Manawatu competition was in the first round when Kia Ora beat Linton 32-12.

Kia Ora beat Linton 40-12 in the Coast to Coast competition and their other game was cancelled due to wet grounds.

Linton’s only losses have come against Kia Ora and against the Coastal Cobras in the Coast to Coast semifinals.

Kia Ora have put a lot of effort into this season, having started pre-season in November and have been training three times a week under new coach Peter Butler.

‘‘We’re looking forward to it,’’

Butler said. ‘‘It’s a grand final and anything can happen.

‘‘We’re expecting Linton to come out firing. Everything changes in finals.’’

Kia Ora have named an

extended bench because they have a couple of niggling injuries, but still have a lot of experienced players and Butler said even their young ones are mature types.

Linton have their New Zealand Defence Force World Cup players back, but will name their final squad on the day.

Coach Ray Warner will only be missing a couple of players, who are on exercise in Australia.

‘‘The boys are pretty pumped,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s one of the rare times with a full squad.

‘‘Although we’re missing a couple, it’s probably one of the strongest teams we’ve had all year.

‘‘The boys are very excited. Not a lot of them have played grand final football.’’

This will be Kia Ora’s third final in a row, but they haven’t won the title since 2008, when they beat the Feilding Falcons.

Linton haven’t been in the decider since 2013 and last won in 2012 against Dannevirke Tigers.