Soccer: North Force draw coach's plaudits

A Josh Hacker first half double at Toll Stadium has helped North Force steal a major upset with their 4-4 draw against Ngaruawahia.

The sixth placed Ngaruawahia side were favoured to head north and dispatch the bottom placed North Force side, but Hacker and his teammates had another idea.

North Force coach Dave Alabaster said it was obvious Ngaruawahia were shocked with the way Northland's top football team hit the ground running on Saturday.

"I think they took us for granted a little bit," Alabaster commented of the see-sawing game. "In the first half they [Ngaruawahia] were arguing with each other and the coaches. They obviously had changed a few things for the game against us which wasn't working."

North Force's draw equals their best result for the season, which was 10 weeks ago in a 1-1 draw against Mt Albert Ponsonby in week one, with Alabaster saying the result is a good reward for the hard work of the players.

"For us that was a really important result. It really gave the young players an idea of how hard it is to get a result at this level, and how you have to work hard [if you want to win]. There's no doubting they [the younger players] can play, it's just the lack the experience.

"We created good chances [in Saturday's match]. The young guys are basically given license to express themselves and try and play properly.

"I guess the disappointing thing was conceding so many goals, every time we'd score we'd concede. We got caught ball watching in the first half, [but] the big thing was we never gave up and hung in there for the result."

Alabaster commented on the heart his side showed when holding on for the result after Ngaruawahia levelled the scores with 20 minutes to go.

He said North Force looked to hang on for the second half after going to the sheds up 4-3, knowing that Ngaruawahia would come back strongly in the second half.

In recent matches North Force have struggled to stay switched on mentally for the duration of matches, and have flat patches where opposition would cash in with numerous goals, but this week Alabaster said they applied themselves well.

"I guess that was one thing we did well [stayed in the game mentally], although when I say did well we did let ourselves slip in the first half.

"[But], in the second half we were under pressure the whole time and we fought hard."

North Force next play at Toll Stadium on June 23, with kick off scheduled for 2.45pm. Alabaster said his side was enjoying playing at Toll, but challenged Northlanders to get behind North Force next time they play in Whangarei.

North Force 4 (Josh Hacker 2, Kyran Winterburn, Scott Burgess); Ngaruawahia 4. HT: 4-3.