Club footy giving Boys’ High right test
The Palmerston North Boys’ High School first XI would like a lift in their weekend games to prepare them for their important interschool matches.
Boys’ High play Palmerston North Marist Reserves in their Federation League game at Memorial Park tomorrow as they take on a heavy diet of club football on weekends and inter- school matches during the week.
Coach Steve Burnley was happy to win their first inter- school match 7- 2 over St Patrick’s College Town at Boys’ High on Wednesday, an improvement on their Federation League form, where they have won one, drawn one and lost four.
‘‘ The good thing it’s showing is other teams punish us for the mistakes we make,’’ Burnley said. ‘‘ We’re in there [ club football] to learn we can’t make mistakes.
‘‘[ Wednesday] was quite good. The test was can we bring what we learn on a Saturday to the midweek games?’’
Even though it is tough against some of the men’s club teams, Burnley said they get better as the season goes on.
The win against St Pat’s won Boys’ High back the Kerris Cup they lost last year, the first time Boys’ High had lost since the fixture started in 1992.
Rhys James and scored doubles and grabbed a hat- trick.
This year’s first XI is led by Rhys James, an attacking midfielder in his fourth year with the team, and another experienced player in Sean Liddicoat, a holding midfielder in his third year.
In other Federation League games this weekend, North End have been Nick Jack Carrick Gleeson knocked off their perch at the top of the table after losing to Taranaki two weeks ago, so they will be eyeing a win over Red Sox- Manawatu at Skoglund Park, in their first meeting this season.
Feilding will be looking to ambush Havelock North at Timona Park, with both teams having had just one win so far.
The unbeaten Team Taranaki host second- placed Wanganui Athletic in New Plymouth on Sunday.
In the Central League, Palmerston North Marist are away to Upper Hutt City on the artificial turf at Maidstone Park.
Upper Hutt City are winless and Marist will want to win this to put distance between them and the relegation zone, and stay with the competition leaders.
Marist have had a draw and a win in their past two games.
In the women’s Central League Massey University have a grudge match against Wellington rivals Seatoun in the capital.
Seatoun have been the only side to have regularly tested and beaten Massey in the past few seasons and Massey’s record at Seatoun isn’t great.
Both teams are unbeaten after four games and Massey will want to win to go clear at the top.
At the other end of the table, Valeron Wanderers will be confident of a win over lowly Wanganui Athletic.
Seventh- placed Valeron have only had won win so far, but Athletic have lost four from four, conceding 36 goals and not scoring any. The match has been moved to Ashhurst.