By Jonno Ross
The form strikers in the Lotto NRFL first division line up against each other on Good Friday when Fencibles United and Albany United meet at Riverhills Park.
Fencibles’ Josh Harford has scored four in two games while Albany’s Jack Beguely has found the net five times already this season.
Both are exciting players and we’re picking the game to be worth the visit by the neutral spectator looking for goal action.
Here’s how Easter weekend shapes up for the first division clubs:
Friday
Fencibles (7th) v Albany United (6th)
Riverhills Park, Auckland
3pm kick-off
After a tough initiation to the first division, with a couple of losses, newly-promoted Fencibles came away last weekend with a convincing 4-1 win against Northern Rovers.
Their striker Josh Harford has seemingly found some form, scoring four goals in two matches.
Fencibles will no doubt want this hot streak to continue as a win or two over Easter could propel the side into the upper reaches of a tightly contested division.
Albany have had a mixed start to the season, and will be disappointed to have lost 2-1 last week to Tauranga City after they had beaten pre-season favourites Manurewa 4-0 the week before.
They too have a striker on form in captain Jack Beguely, who has scored five times in two games.
Not only is this game a battle between 6th and 7th, it is also a battle of the strikers, who are the early leaders in the race for the Golden Boot.
Ellerslie (3rd) v West Coast Rangers (1st)
Michaels Ave Reserve, Auckland
3pm kick-off
Despite coming away with a 2-2 draw against Mount Albert Ponsonby last week, Ellerslie would have felt like it was a win, after scoring to equalise in the 93rd minute.
They have proven already they have match-turning players all over the pitch. Of their seven goals scored so far, there have been six different goalscorers in their side.
The confidence levels are high at the moment and they will want to get a good result against a decent West Coast Rangers team to maintain their early momentum and build their reputation as the dark horses of the league.
West Coast Rangers have already signalled to the rest of the league that they mean business.
Having been relegated last season from the Northern League, they are already staking their claims for an immediate return to the top competition.
With the best goal difference in the league, having scored 10 and conceded only two, they are looking like the team to beat this season.
Other fixtures (with current league placings):
Metro (4th) v Northern Rovers (3rd)
Links Ave Reserve, Tauranga, 3pm
East Coast Bays (11th) v Onehunga Mangere (4th)
Bay City Park, Auckland, 3pm
Manurewa (10th) v Tauranga City (2nd)
Bay City Park, Auckland, 3pm
Waitemata (8th) v Mount Albert Ponsonby (5th)
McLeod Park, Auckland, 3pm
Monday
Northern Rovers v Ellerslie
McFetridge Park, Auckland, 3pm
Onehunga Mangere v Waitemata
Mangere Domain, Auckland, 3pm
West Coast Rangers v Mount Albert Ponsonby
Fred Taylor Park, Auckland, 3pm
Tauranga City v Metro
Links Ave Reserve, Tauranga, 3pm
Fencibles United v Manurewa
Riverhills Park, Auckland, 3pm
Albany United v East Coast Bays
Rosedale Park, Auckland, 3pm
How they stand
Last weekend’s games
Click here for our round-up of games from the weekend of April 9-10 >>>>>
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