Football: Force players give their all to get full points

North Force's Steve Schimmel celebrates a crucial goal for them as they held on for the 2-1 win yesterday afternoon.Photo/Michael Cunningham

Tired bodies collapsed on the Kamo Sports Park as North Force ground out a 2-1 win to continue their strong start to the season.

Despite suffering their second loss of the season on Friday, North Force showed the determination to hold out previous table toppers Oratia yesterday afternoon.

A happy North Force coach said his side had done what they needed to in a game which could have been a banana skin.

"I wasn't that nervous [in the last 20 minutes] because this is the fifth game that it has been very tight going into the last 15, so I know they've got the spirit," Russell Baddeley said, adding that Oratia had lost to the bottom of the table on Saturday after previously having been run away leaders.

"I was very glad to hear the final whistle, but I thought we'd dig it out again and we're going to have to do it in more games."

Baddeley added he was thankful for the crowd support on the Easter Monday clash, saying he had not seen that many supporters in many years.

Adding to the kudos for North Force was they had struggled with injuries in the build-up to the match.

North Force's player of the day, Steve Schimmel - who also scored one of his side's goals, along with Keegan Baddeley, played through a quad injury.

"The boys have given everything and we've picked up a few injuries from putting the bodies on the line so this week we'll be focusing on recovering from two tough games.

"This win today has got us off to a really good start to the season so we're in a good position to get in the promotion race, I don't think there's any reason why we can't be there at the end of the season," Baddeley said, noting that the top three from the second division get promoted.

"Today we built a platform that we can kick on from, each week they're getting better and better and tighter as a unit and this will give us more confidence going forward.

"In football terms this was the classic game of two halves, where I thought North Force played really well first half ... and the second half they came at us. We just had to dig in again."

The win is North Force's third in five games, against teams that Baddeley believes are probably the five best in the league.

"The momentum is still building and as we keep winning hopefully it'll keep building."

North Force's next game is away to Fencibles United in Auckland on Saturday.