SOCCER - Force keen to kick poor road record into touch

North Force's senior team may have to leave their pom-poms at home tomorrow in a desperate ploy to procure away points against Western Oratia in the US1 premier soccer league.
North Force coach Dean Wheatley said yesterday the team was willing to try anything to reverse their shocking away form, that still sees them a few points short of confirming their place in the play-offs, with just three fixtures left to play.
"Our normal routine is to arrive and support the reserves when they play, which involves a lot of standing around, but we're going to try and change that and see how we go," he said.
The plan is to get the first team arriving much later at Parrs Park tomorrow, around an hour before kick-off.
"We need to get our off-field preparation right, so we're taking it seriously, because the losses we've been suffering have had little to do with lack of ability on the road and everything to do with results," he said.
With last weekend's matches washed out by stormy weather, the delicately balanced fight for places in the play-offs has been stalled, leaving teams fortunate to get any outdoor practice sessions.
"It's been none too helpful, this mid-season break, and we'll have to see how everyone is tonight and try and wind them up for what is a pretty important game for us," he said.
Wheatley said he wasn't really thinking of the playoffs at the moment, preferring to make the focus of tomorrow's match, a rare win on the road.
So far this year, third-placed North Force have only managed to earn four points on the road and Wheatley wants to break the habit.
He said the team were in good company, pointing to the poor travelling record of the New Zealand Warriors and Kiwi netball teams in their transtasman leagues.
"I do believe that teams struggle to get results because of travel, but I'm not sure why, it isn't a New Zealand problem. When I worked in the English leagues it was very hard to go away and win, and often the number of away wins in a season was minimal," he said.
Not everyone was affected by travel, however, and Wheatley said it was a case of trying different things.
On the other side of the coin, Kamo like their chances at home tomorrow against Waitemata in the Federation Cup quarter-final at 2pm. The home advantage means they'll have all of their top players available against a Waitemata side who are struggling for form at the bottom end of the US1 first division.
Kamo's extended cup run means their list of unplayed fixtures continues to grow, and with victory almost mathematically certain for the side in the Northland premier league, they may be allowed some leeway by the league organisers about completing their schedule of matches.
In premier league matches tomorrow, Tikipunga host FC Whangarei, Onerahi host Kerikeri, while Central Brown host Kaikohe at Otaika Park, with all matches at 2.45pm.