It was a long time coming but in the light of North Force's first win in over 18 months, goalkeeper Shane Stanners took time to answer these questions for Advocate readers ...
The weekend was North Force's first win in about 20 months, how good is it to get thatfirst win?
Getting the first win of the season was a great feeling, especially because it was a tough game and we all fought so hard for it, not just in the game but in the weeks building up. We were all really gutted about losing the first game against Waiuku ... I don't think anyone in the team realised North Force haven't won a game for that long, it certainly hasn't been a factor in the team's mentality leading up to the season.
In the game you guys were reduced to 10 men late in the second half, was anything said on the field around keeping in control?
It certainly wasn't an ideal situation but these things happen. We talked about wanting the three points and how much it meant ... We all knew that we had to hang in there and play smart, take our time and not panic.
What's it like with Russell Baddeley as the new coach?
Russell has been around for a long time, he knows his stuff and the players respect that. We have a lot of good young players in the team and I think by the end of this year they are going to transition to become great players and that will be credit to Russell's coaching.
What are you hoping you and the team can achieve this season?
Ultimately the biggest goal for this season is to win the league, or at least make the top three which would allow promotion to the next level up. We all as players want to contribute to the team however we can and that includes nurturing some of these young talents coming through and building a great culture, because growth and sustainability are key focuses to ensure the future of North Force lives on ... When I am one of those "past" players ... I want to be sitting up there on the bank at Kamo, watching a better quality of football than the level I endured in my playing days.
