A gutsy effort from an injury-ridden North Force side was rewarded with a 2-1 victory over Fencibles United, in their first away game of the Northern Regional Federation League season.
An understrength North Force side left Whangarei for Pakuranga's Riverhills Park with a truckload of players out injured ahead of yesterday's
match, including Aaron Taylor, Mark Rudell, Steve Schimmel, Mitchell Pomfret and Chris Peck.
Despite injuries, and players stepping in from the lower grades, North Force lifted for the match against one of the better teams in the competition, coach Bruce Plunkett said.
"We're pretty pleased we could be competitive with a skeleton squad against one of the better sides who have spent some money on players this year - and beat them - it shows we must be doing something right," he said.
North Force took the early lead in the match after midfielder Charlton Lacour slotted a goal, and the visitors defended relentlessly to hold it heading into halftime, but Fencibles levelled the score just before the break and applied pressure on the North Force attack throughout the second half.
However, Lacour saw space and repeated his earlier effort, securing his second goal of the match, and the winning point.
As the second half ticked by, the North Force contingent were hit with more injuries. Sam McGregor, Cody Lacour and late in the game, Charlton Lacour, all suffered hamstring injuries, which saw the team use their three substitutes, and with 10 minutes to go, Plunkett laced up his boots to play for the side he captained last year.
"It wasn't a pretty game - we fought hard to hold onto the lead and gutsed it out. The boys just kept running, it was great," he said.
While Keegan Baddeley impressed Plunkett when he positioned the versatile player up front, then right midfield, followed by right back, it was the overall team effort and their perseverance which most pleased him.
The win was North Force's first of the season, after drawing with Birkenhead 2-2 in round one.
Earlier at Pakuranga, North Force Reserves also endured a tough battle, which resulted in a deserved 3-2 win for the visitors.
