New Plymouth looking up from the bottom
Team Taranaki are starting to get into season defining matches.
Four losses in a row have seen them slowly drop down the Central League table and they now sit seventh, just two points above eighth placed Napier City Rovers, the side that beat them 4-1 last Sunday.
You do not have to look far to see where their problem lies, with the side only able to score eight goals this season.
That’s 13 less than than Lower Hutt City, the side they meet away today.
While they have let in 17 goals, the majority of those have been in the last month when the defensive players have looked vulnerable for long periods.
However, Team Taranaki coach Ian McGrath remains convinced they have the talent to be better placed.
‘‘We need to turn our fortunes around and tomorrow is the next opportunity,’’ he said yesterday. ’’No sense in hiding from last week or recent results, we simply have not been doing enough either individually or collectively to earn anything from those games.’’
He believes the simple fundamentals of the game need to be done consistently well.
‘‘There are some obvious areas of focus in each new game; not conceding goals in the manner in which we have been and making more of the chances that we create,’’ McGrath added.
‘‘We need to get back on winning terms and start picking up points. It is all about us on Saturday, our attitude, our effort, our quality. I am expecting a significant improvement and a far more competitive performance that results in points earned.
Sandro Grandi and Domenico Squatriti have been recalled while Rodrigo Mangini has copped a three game suspension after a wild challenge against Napier City Rovers. Brad Hickling is out with a knee injury as is Jeremy Hill while Jack Roberts is unavailable. The foot of the table isn’t where anyone wants to sit, and New Plymouth Boys’ High School might be able to get off it this weekend.
Boys’ High take on Woodleigh at Webster Field this week in the Taranaki premier football competition, with just one point on the season so far, despite some solid performances.
Seventh-placed Woodleigh won’t be pushovers though. They’ve proven they’re up for any challenge this season, and have knocked off current second-placed FC Western this season.
It could be a case not of who concedes less goals, but rather who scores more, with both teams having allowed 20+ in to this point of the season.
For Boys’ High to rise off the bottom of the ladder, they will need Peringa to do them a favour by knocking off Inglewood at Karo Park.
Inglewood were second bottom to this point in the season, also with just one point, and with a goal difference four better than that of Boys’ High.
Peringa, having been in a familiar spot to Boys’ High and Inglewood last season, will be hoping to push on with their come- back year, with a charge toward the top four a real possibility.
However, for that to happen, they will need to take three points in match ups such as this weekend’s.
Elsewhere, New Plymouth Rangers will look for a bounceback win when they host a strong Francis Douglas Memorial College side at Merrilands Domain, while FC Western hope to see their goal scoring ways continue when they visit Hawera.
Finally, in what shapes up as the fixture of the round, Eltham will travel to Moturoa looking to put a stop to the New Plymouth team’s unbeaten run.
In the men’s federation league, New Plymouth Rangers travel to Palmerston North to take on Palmerston North Marist.
All matches kick off at 2:45pm today. ❚ In the Taranaki women’s league, high flying Waitara host Inglewood, Moturoa have the chance to gain ground on Hawera when they host the South Taranaki side, while Peringa host New Plymouth Rangers.
In the women’s federation league, New Plymouth Girls’ High School take on Port Hill United in Wanganui, while Moturoa take on Palmerston North Marist reserves in Palmerston North.