Motivation won't be a problem for either Wairarapa United or Palmerston North Marist in their Central League football match at the Pugh Sports Bowl, Masterton, on Sunday.
With Wairarapa United in eighth place on the points table with 5pts and Palmerston North ninth and last-equal with Wellington United on
3pts the opportunity to lessen their chances of possible relegation later in the season will be very much on their minds.
Wairarapa United coach Phil Keinzley concedes the three teams listed above, plus Taranaki which have 6pts, are on "shaky ground" and will be placing huge emphasis on improving their situation.
"It's never any fun being at or near the bottom of the table, every game becomes a test match then," he said.
"There is no easy way out at this level, you have to earn it."
Keinzley is hopeful last Saturday's penalty shootout loss to Capital premier division side Waterside-Karori will, in fact, prove to be a blessing in disguise for his team.
"You always look for positives when you lose and at least we did have the better of that game in terms of territory and possession," he said. "We had enough scoring chances to win by four or five, it was just our finishing which was so poor."
Keinzley isn't fooled, however, by Palmerston North Marist's slow start to the 2009 season, pointing to their draw with highly-rated Miramar Rangers in their latest game being evidence of the sort of form you would normally expect from a team containing the bulk of Manawatu's national football championship squad.
"No doubt they will be embarrassed by where they currently sit on the points table and you can bet they are targeting us as a game they have to win, you can be absolutely sure of that."
