A VICTORY in tomorrow’s Football Mid-North Coast Premier League fixture for the Khodary Pharmacy-sponsored Port Macquarie FC over Club Taree Wildcats, at Omaru Park, could see the local side wrap up the minor premiership with a game to spare.
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Although the team sits only one point ahead of the Macleay Valley Rangers (MVR), MVR has the bye in the last round and can therefore only take another three points out of their clash against the fifth-placed Camden Haven Redbacks, who will be looking to secure their place in the finals series, this weekend.
Regardless of other results, Port FC goes into tomorrow’s game quietly confident, having won their last three matches, which included a 6-2 home victory against Taree only a fortnight ago.
The side is, however, missing defender Toby Glover through suspension and midfielder Jordan Morris is also unavailable.
Allrounder Ibbi Khodary and influential playmaker Troy Mountain are also in doubt for the clash and a decision will be made tomorrow regarding their fitness.
Khodary hasn’t played since the team’s 3-0 defeat to MVR in round 14 due to a neck injury and Mountain suffered a training mishap during the week.
The side is still confident that the current playing roster can do the job and will look to send off allrounder Joe Bignell with a win.
Bignell has been a powerhouse for Port FC this year and has filled in in goals, in defence and more recently as a strike partner with Matthew Edwards.
His all-round ability and presence will be sorely missed by the team who hopes the injury list will quickly dwindle to cover his absence.
Tomorrow’s opposition Taree, currently sitting in third place on the competition ladder, should also go into the game confident of being able to overturn the recent defeat to Port FC given their result on Sunday against MVR.
The Wildcats have had the wood on Macleay in recent matches and their catch up encounter on Sunday was no different.
Down 2-0, Taree rallied in the second period to fight back for a share of the spoils.
This result shows that the Wildcats are not a side to be taken lightly, particularly in front of their home crowd.
Port FC will have to play to the best of their ability to ensure the minor premiership is wrestled off current holders MVR.
Port FC
Terrance Stafford, Scott Spokes, Brad Spokes, Dylan Baker, Luke Buckley, Paddy Coelho, Matt Ramm, Matt Edwards, Joe Bignell, Dilly Prestergard, Troy Mountain, Jackson Pett, Adam Howell, Toby Glover
Round 17 draw:
Tomorrow –
Port Saints v Kempsey Saints
Taree Wildcats v Port Macquarie FC
Camden Haven Redbacks v Macleay Valley Rangers
Old Bar Barbarians v Great Lakes Wallis Lakes
Port United bye
