Force edge closer to safety

North Force Men helped to bridge the gap between themselves and the relegation zone in the Northern Region Football League's first division.
The men, playing at Kamo Sports Park on Saturday, kept a clean sheet against cellar-dwellers Onehunga Mangere, beating them 6-0.
It was a key fixture for North Force, who needed to win to keep from slipping into the bottom two spots of the division. Those teams will be relegated to division two at the end of the season.
The win puts them in ninth spot out of 12 teams, giving them a bit more breathing space with six games left to play, including two games against Matamata, in 11th place, and one against Lynn Avon in 10th position - crunch matches for all teams avoiding the relegation zone.
North Force dominated Saturday's game against their weaker opposition, and Darren Green, Steve Schimmel and Darren Carter found the back of the goal early to lead 3-0 after just 20 minutes.
They held on to the lead heading into half time, and in the second half, skipper Scott Burgess, Charlton Lacour and Daniel Ridgley increased the score margin with a goal apiece. Ridgley was later named player of the day for his efforts in the middle of the park.
The hosts worked hard on defence, having stepped it up over the past few weeks, and limited Onehunga Mangere's goal scoring opportunities. The only time Onehunga Mangere looked like they might score, the ball hit the crossbar and North Force got their reward by keeping a clean sheet.
Meanwhile, the North Force Reserves also had a convincing 4-0 win over Onehunga Mangere.
This Saturday, North Force are away to play second-placed Takapuna.