Key derby clash promises to set tone for men’s Federation League
Palmerston North Marist and North End are meeting in a key derby matchup in the men’s Federation League today.
There’s plenty riding on the outcome of the clash for both sides.
Marist will be all out to maintain their winning momentum after their opening-round four-goal victory at Napier Marist.
North End, for their part, will be wanting to improve on their first league outing of the season, when they lost by the only goal of the game at Havelock Northwanderers.
Palmerston North Marist will be pleased to have Josh Cremen and Luke Palfreyman back from injury, although they will be missing dangerous winger Jordan JoblinHall, out with a work-related issue.
But coach Juliano Schmeling says he will still have 16 players from whom to pick his run-on side for a game he is predicting will be a tough encounter.
He said it was disappointing to concede a goal at Napier from a corner. ‘‘That’s something we need to fix. We have to be prepared to win those 50-50 balls.’’
Schmeling said the team that made the fewest mistakes would win the game, so they needed to be ready for loose possession in the goalmouth area and anticipate ‘‘the moment’’.
North End co-coach Michael Sheridan said putting four goals away in their Federation Cup win on Easter Monday was a boost the side enjoyed after losing in the first round of the league.
All the players who scored then – Sheridan himself, Nathan Cooksley and Young-jae Lee (2) – would be back for today’s fixture, he added.
‘‘We can cause them some early problems and if we can score we’re in the game.’’
Sheridan recalled that only a couple of seasons ago, North End beat Marist three times in as many games, ‘‘so I think it’s going to be interesting’’.
Last season was a different story though – Marist beat North End both times they met in the league.
However, since then there have been coaching and player changes at both clubs, so it will be different although the sides still contain a core who know each other’s game well. Massey will be looking for maximum home points when they host Napiermarist.
Coach Donald Piper said he wasn’t reading too much into the students’ mammoth 10-0 Federation Cup win over Whanganui Athletic reserves last Monday.
That day Michael Hilson scored four, Cole Freeman and Zac Farmer two apiece, and Eli Masoe and Caleb Young one each.
Piper didn’t call it a mismatch, but did point out that Massey played in a higher grade than the Athletic reserves side.
And, he recalled, the students couldn’t beat Napier Marist in the league last year – drawing one game and losing the other.
First-round losers Levin and New Plymouth Rangers meet in Levin while Gisborne Thistle make their league debut at home to Whanganui Athletic.