Football: North Force eager to bury drop fears

North Force are targeting three wins from their last seven games to avoid relegation, and fans will be hoping they start their winning streak against third-placed Glenfield Rovers at Tikipunga tomorrow.

The side hope to match their effort in the first round when a good run had them briefly out of the relegation zone and targeting a top-five finish in the Northern League First Division.

"We still believe we're good enough to get out of (relegation) trouble but we don't want to leave it until the last round if we can help it," North Force Coach Bruce Plunkett said.

Confidence remained high despite losing what would have been a valuable point in the final kick of the match last week at Mt Albert-Ponsonby.

"We're almost getting used to the disappointment of these one-goal losses ... but we know that our luck has to turn soon," Plunkett said.

The Whangarei team have several factors in their favour in the race to avoid relegation despite being second from bottom. They have games in hand over their rivals and their goal difference is better than mid-table Mt Albert, but points on the board are what counts.

Glenfield Rovers aren't an easy proposition. They beat North Force's relegation rivals, Ngaruawahia, 4-1 last week and need to win to have a chance of winning the league. The game starts at 3.15pm at Tikipunga Sports Park, with the reserves match at 1pm.

North Force women play their second game in the Auckland-Northern Federation combined competition, against Onehunga Sports, at Tikipunga on Sunday, 1pm. They began in division two with a 6-4 win over East Coast Bays.