Divnesh Dayal will be hoping lightning strikes twice as his Wanganui Athletic team can pick up another victory over Palmerston North Marist tomorrow in the Federation League.
Divnesh Dayal will be hoping lightning strikes twice as his Wanganui Athletic team can pick up another victory over Palmerston North Marist tomorrow in the Federation League.
There is a great opportunity for one or both of the Whanganui clubs to do a little giant-killing tomorrow in the Lotto Federation League, although from the media conversations it seems the travelling side rates their chances more the home team.
Physically and emotionally spent after a tough fortnight withtheir second straight goal-less stalemate in the Wembley Park derby clash and then the tight 2-1 Federation Cup quarterfinal win over Western Rangers last Saturday, a weary Versatile Wanganui City FC (5-4-3) are holding their breath as the unbeaten Havelock North Wanderers (12-0-0) swagger into town.
Signalling their intention to be promoted again right from the start of the season, Wanderers have run up a fearsome 66 goals for just 11 conceded, having both outstanding player depth across their club teams and clinical execution as their creed.
City have remained unbeaten since mid-May, which was not long after the 3-1 loss away to Wanderers on April 27 which led the Hawke's Bay Today to proclaim it was time to just "hand over the the Central Federation League crown" to the home side.
League teams from Taranaki to Manawatu scoffed at the time. They don't now.
As well as Bell recovering from his broken leg, Adam Gill is also still injured, while Eli Fleming might only make the bench, the same as Kyle Graham-Luke if he passes the morning fitness test.
"If we were all fit, then three of the four would be starting," said Bell.
"Players that have stood up coming into the team, playing positions they don't usually play, it's up to those players to stand up again.
"Jack Donaldson was superb last week.
"We will set it up to make it difficult again, similar to what we did when we were away to them.
"We won't go out there and lie down."
Nonetheless, Bell admits that given no other team has beaten Wanderers either, precious resources would be better saved for more obtainable goals upcoming.
After previously getting a fairly helpful draw in the Federation Cup, the team was left on a downer on Tuesday when they received the "worst case scenario" – playing their semifinal away to Gisborne United on August 31.
City is also aiming to pick up a few late season wins against lesser sides to perhaps finish in the Top 3 for League, but more importantly, keep their noses in front of neighbours GJ Gardner Homes Wanganui Athletic (5-3-4), who sit just one point behind them.
Bell said the attitude tomorrow was for the midfield of Zane Robinson, co-coach Latham Berry, and Jordan Joblin-Hall to just have a crack, and keep that positivity going, even if Wanderers start to put a couple in the back of the net.
Havelock North player/coach Chris Greatholder.
Meanwhile, freshened up after their break for the Cup weekend, Athletic are more of a picture of optimism as they take on 2018's League champions Palmerston North Marist (7-0-5) at Skoglund Park.
Marist had looked like they might still be in contention for the title, until heavy losses to Wanderers and North End had bookended the shock 1-0 defeat to Athletic on June 29 – the high water mark for both local sides this season.
Coach Jason King is very much expecting the home side to be after some payback tomorrow.
"You certainly hope so, after us they went down to North End. We had a good turnout to training, very positive.
"A whole lot of things are starting to click for us. It's just picking up from that belief."
With leading striker Ryan Holden's foot injury unlikely to be all-clear until close to the end of season Charity Cup, Athletic will still back their outstanding defence, second only to Wanderers in League play with 17 goals, although the comparisons stop there as Athletic have 48 less in the scored column.
"We're still doing really well in the not conceeding goals stakes," said King.
"Our front are not [specialist] strikers, but can get there much better now than not being there.
"I think we've got a good chance of a good result."
King remains wary of what a Marist team with the likes of Nicholas Carrick and Whanganui expat Josh Smith can accomplish, even in a squad that seems to be going through a latter season malaise.
"You can't just lose quality."
Athletic goalie Matt Calvert, midfielder Peter Czerwonka and defender Shaan Stuart are having a season to be proud of, while the likes of Jake Simcox and Jude Hiri bring the right amount of enthusiasm to the task.
All League fixtures kickoff at 2.45pm, with Athletic hoping their GJ Gardner Homes Wanganui Athletic Reserves team should be able to come support them after making their way over from Celaeno Park following their Horizons Premiership game with Breakers RSM Reserves.
And on Sunday, the Women's Federation League resumes, with Team Ritesh Football Whanganui travelling to take on a fired-up Taradale AFC, who last weekend earned the chance to retain their Federation Cup after hammering Massey University FC 4-0 in the semifinal.
