Encouraging signs as North Force earn 1-1 draw

After a frustrating loss last week, North Force kicked off against Papatoetoe determined to set things right in the grading round of the Northern Regional Football League.
North Force looked like a different side on Saturday to the one which lost their first grading match 4-3 to Eastern Suburbs, when they drew 1-1 at South Auckland's Murdoch Park, coach Bruce Plunkett said.
"We are playing some very good sides now we are out of the division one group, but we looked competitive, which is positive," he said.
Papatoetoe and North Force were evenly matched throughout the 90 minutes, and the 1-1 draw was a fair reflection of the match.
The visitors snatched an early lead 15 minutes into the match, with Charlton Lacour sending the ball past the keeper.
Both sides shared possession for the rest of the half and North Force held on to their lead, until about the 50th minute mark, when Papatoetoe equalised.
Neither side managed to capitalise any further - and ended the game with a point each.
North Force need to win the grading round to progress into the premier division next year, and try to stay out of the bottom two, who will be relegated to division two, Plunkett said.
"We only got a point ... but we are still within touch of the leaders. We still have a game in hand, as well as having two games in a row at home - so we still have a bit of an outside chance."
After three games, including a  1-0 win over Matamata on Saturday, Manurewa lead the standings ahead of Eastern Suburbs by two points. Eastern Suburbs drew with seventh-placed Takapuna, while Hamilton Wanderers - in third place - defeated Mount Albert Ponsonby, who are in fifth spot below Papatoetoe, in fourth, and ahead of North Force in sixth.
Matamata are at the bottom of the table and face North Force on Saturday in a must-win match for both sides, at Kamo Sports Park.
 
 FC Whangarei finished the US1 men's championship  seventh after defeating Norwest United 0-3 in the Championship Subsidiary round.