Relegated Marist look to salvage pride
"There should be enough selfmotivation there." Shane Rufer, Marist coach
There’s 90 minutes left of Palmerston North Marist’s Central League season before the guillotine falls.
Marist play Wairarapa United at Memorial Park on Saturday in a postponed match from last weekend, when two games had been scheduled for the ground, and it will be the last game of the year for the two teams.
The rest of the Central League wrapped up last weekend, with this game having no bearing on either team. Wairarapa are in second place and can’t overtake league winners Western Suburbs, while Marist are rooted to the bottom of the table and consigned to relegation.
Marist will be playing in Federation League next year.
Even though it’s a meaningless game, Marist coach Shane Rufer wanted to go out with a win.
‘‘That’s the goal and then we’ve got the Federation Cup final the week after,’’ he said. ‘‘So there should be enough self-motivation there.’’
The Marist Reserves are in the Federation Cup final against Massey University next week, the Central Football cup competition for teams not entered in the Chatham Cup.
The Marist first team have been poor this season and it’s a wonder as to how they will return to the Central League.
They were keen to finish the season with a win though.
Marist have been in the Central League since 2014, having won promotion in 2013. Marist had been relegated in 2011 after five years in the Central League.
Due to all the recent rain, Marist haven’t been able to train as much because, occasionally using the indoor green room at the Sport and Rugby Institute, but sunny weather this week may have helped the cause.
The final round of the Federation League is this weekend and both Red Sox-manawatu and Massey University will be out to avoid last place.
Massey has a one-point lead over Red Sox, so have the edge, as both team face tough away trips on Saturday.
Red Sox are playing in Hawke’s Bay against Havelock North Wanderers, who have already won the league and won 6-3 and 8-2 in their past two fixtures against Red Sox.
Massey are away to New Plymouth Rangers, who may have some of their Central League players available now representative side Team Taranaki’s season has finished.
In their two previous games, they drew 4-all and New Plymouth won 4-1.
Havelock North will play a home-and-away playoff against Capital Premier winner Waterside Karori to decide who will be promoted to the Central League in place of relegated Marist.
In the other game, Wanganui Athletic host Gisborne Thistle. Marist Reserves have the bye.
In the next tier down, the Horizons Premiership title will be decided.
Hokowhitu Rangers are on top of the table, one point ahead of Wanganui City. Neither team is playing next weekend and no-one else is able to catch them, so the winner will be decided on Saturday.
If Hokowhitu beat the Palmerston North Boys’ High School first XI, then the title is guaranteed, but if they drop points and Wanganui City beat Massey Celtic, then it could open it up for Wanganui to win the title.