Soccer: Forrest Hill Milford too strong for Force

FC Whangarei's Jamie Burgess heads the ball clear during the Northland First Division top of the table clash against Kamo. Photo / John Stone

Conceding an unstoppable shot into the top right hand corner of the net proved to be the beginning of the end for North Force against Forrest Hill Milford on Saturday.

The visitors to Becroft Park in Auckland started the NRFL Division One match well and were looking to build pressure on Forrest Hill, who were desperate for the three points to breathe life into their struggle to avoid making the drop alongside North Force this season.

The 30m strike midway through the spell took the wind out of the visitors' sails.

"We knew if we could hold them out for a while the pressure would go squarely back on them because it was a must win for them but when that goal went in, they really settled down into their work," North Force coach Dave Alabaster said.

Forrest Hill scored another two goals to finish the game 3-0 ahead, leaving them still in with a chance to overhaul Papatoetoe and Metro and avoid the drop to NRFL Division Two next year.

North Force Reserves fared somewhat better than the senior team by scoring two goals on their way to a 2-4 defeat. The reserves maintain 11th spot in their division and are desperate to miss out on the wooden spoon this season.

Meanwhile in Northland matches, Premier Division Champions Kerikeri took care of Tikipunga Reserves 13-0 in the Stafford Choat quarter-final. In the Bowl quarter-final, Central Brown beat FC Whangarei Legends 5-0.

Kerikeri won the over-35 knockout final with a tight 1-0 win over Kamo.

In Division One FC Whangarei closed to within a point of leaders Kamo by beating them 5-1 with Scott Burgess scoring a hat-trick and Gareth Blithe and Phil Tunstall also getting on the scoring sheet.

FC coach Ian Cross said his side now have a game in hand over Kamo in what is turning out to be a very close contest.