Six games for Southern to close gap

A SERIES of crucial games looms for Southern United in the national women’s league.

At the halfway point of the competition, the side finds itself tied for fourth place on seven points, four points behind Auckland and Northern.

It has six games to close that gap and every one is going to be crucial.

That begins today, as it travels to Wellington to play Capital, the with which is it team it level.

Southern coach Ignacio Sande is expecting a tough match.

Capital beat Southern 62 at the same venue a year ago and has claimed two wins, as well as a draw against Auckland.

A win is important for Southern’s chances of securing a playoff spot in the top three and

Sande said that was still the goal.

‘‘We still have the dream to be able to play in the final and that’s what all the girls want and the community wants.

‘‘It is a dream that can be possible, but now we don’t have any kind of margin to make mistakes.

‘‘So if we would like to do it we have to win all the games and wait to see if Northern and Auckland will drop some points.

‘‘But it is possible, we believe it is possible.’’

The teams come into the game off contrasting weekends.

Southern played two games in three days against leagueleading Canterbury United. while Capital had a bye.

That had left the Southern players tired, although after a light week of training the side was ready to go for today.

It is a depleted Southern team which will travel too. Emily Morison, Mikayla Gray, Tahlia Roome, Lena de Ronde and Aimee Hislop are all unavailable.

However, Sande said that was why the team had a big squad and the two weeks in general had been busy for the team’s university students.

Six games in, he is happy with how the side is tracking, although admitted the length of season may be taking its toll.

As half the team had been in the Dunedin Technical side which won the Kate Sheppard Cup, they had less than a week between winter and summer seasons.

‘‘In terms of the performance we’re very happy with the team and how they have fought every game and training.

‘‘Possibly, what we have struggled with a bit is in the fitness part. In the second half sometimes we are running out of energy.

‘‘But it is normal, it was a big season for some of the girls.

‘‘They could have done with a break, at least two weeks or whatever, but they’ve kept going from the winter league straight into the national league and now its going to be two rounds.

‘‘So I think we’re feeling that a bit.’’

He said a focus for the next six games was to become more dominant in the opponent’s half and create more chances.