Return to the Central League

After a number of unsuccessful campaigns and attempts, Team Taranaki need only wait days until they officially make their return to the Central League football competition.

Energyworks Team Taranaki open their campaign against near rivals Palmerston North Marist at Yarrow Stadium tomorrow looking to adjust quickly to life in the league.

Marist were one of the strugglers of the league last season, snaring a few key wins at the back end to stay out of the relegation zone.

However, coach Ian McGrath said they were not a team to be taken lightly by any means.

‘‘They are a decent team that struggled for the most part last season in an unforgiving competition.

‘‘They have lost five or six first team regulars in the off-season and have appointed a new head coach, so that may create uncertainty for them and put pressure on a relatively new squad with only a core of six experienced first team players remaining.

‘‘That said, they will still be resilient and tough to beat with the strength of their team in key defensive and midfield areas.’’

Team Taranaki enter the match on the back of a productive offseason and a strong pre-season, with a number of new recruits signed to complement the mainstays of the team.

They come into the match at near full strength, with defender Jeremy Hill unavailable and Jeremy Hawkes filling his spot in the backline alongside Paul Cunningham.

Damien Mosquera will partner Josh Smith in attack on his return to Taranaki, and captain Nathan Hill leads the side from midfield alongside Stephen Kibby.

‘‘Fair to say that we have been used to winning every week for the past two seasons at Federation League level and enjoyed having things mostly are own way.

‘‘No doubt we will have to adjust our mindset to manage more realistic winning margins during tighter games at this level and also accept the likelihood of enduring some defeats along the way, but I am optimistic that we will be good enough to test even the best teams in the competition and have set positive and challenging goals within the group.’’