Fight for survival for Napier

Press, 2 August 1985, Page 30

Fight for survival for Napier

By

DAVID LEGGAT

While the battle for the Rothmans Soccer League prize money is far from over, the deeds of the bottom team, Napier City Rovers, in recent weeks have also revived interest in activities at the other end of the points table. Avoiding the relegation series in September seemed a lost cause back in June, as Napier lay well adrift of its fellow strugglers. Since then the club has managed four wins and three draws in the last seven matches, putting it into the last four of the Le Coq Sportif Chatham Cup and within sight of the other four teams which remain realistic relegation contenders. Napier is certainly riding the crest of a wave and it will be hoping the surf stays up for the next few weeks. It can reach a maximum of 28 points in the national league. To achieve that, it must beat University Cowan, DB Wellington and National Mutual Miramar away, and McKee Nelson United and Landbase Papatoetoe at home. That is an extremely tall order, and should it get 15 points, many will say Napier deserves to hold its place. University, on 20 points, has other matches against Christchurch Brother United in Christchurch, two against the league leader, HanimexNorth Shore, and Masport Mount Wellington.

While University is a point behind United, it does have a game in hand. United has four matches left, and will meet 4XO Dunedin City in Dunedin on Sunday knowing that three wins will be enough to guarantee safety. In addition to University,

it must travel to Nelson, and play the league title contender, Wellington, at home. Of the relegation rivals, Miramar, on 21 points, has the easiest passage out of the tunnel, if only because four of its five remaining matches are at home, the exception being a trip to Gisborne. For Manurewa, one journey away from Auckland is left, to Miramar. It also meets North Shore, Papatoetoe and N.Z. Permanent Gisborne. United can afford a loss, although with a trip to Nelson and a visit from Wellington in the final round, when it will almost certainly be chasing at least second place, defeat in Dunedin for a second time this winter would be a severe blow. In the other five matches on Sunday, Gisborne will entertain Mount Wellington, Manurewa will play North Shore, Miramar will meet Papatoetoe, University will face Napier, and Nelson will play Wellington, for the second time in seven days, having bowed out of the Chatham Cup last Sunday. Hurricane Rangers will attempt to hammer another nail in the coffin of their Hertz Soccer League northern zone title contenders when they play Woolston W.M.C. at Rangers Park tomorrow. KLM Cashmere will face Cockram Nissan Shamrock, with a draw being of no value to either side, in terms of the already slender prospects of catching Rangers. South Canterbury United will entertain New Brighton, Christchurch United’s reserve side will play Nomads United, while Western, in desperate need of points, will tackle Frucci Halswell United.