The Southern United women’s side has a tough opener to begin the national league season — it will play Canterbury United, a side which went all the way to the final last year.
The southern side had the bye when the competition started last weekend but Canterbury jumped out of the blocks quickly, notching a 4-1 win over Auckland.
Southern United has been training hard and assistant coach Tom Stevens said the side wanted to take a more positive attitude into the game.
"We’ve got to be a bit more of an attacking structure. Be a bit more aggressive with the ball," Stevens said.
"We want to get away from sitting back and letting the game come to us."
Canterbury and Southern had a pre-season game a few weeks ago and it was a good lesson for the Southern girls, as they finished well behind on the scoreboard, although that game was very much a trial match and there were many changes of players throughout the game.
The side has more experience than last year and just two players are likely to make their debuts at English Park, in Christchurch, tomorrow.
Players had come back from a year away while some players from Wellington had stayed in the South after finishing tertiary study for the year.
The side will be captained by defender Annabelle Gilchrist and Holly Johnstone will help out in the centre of midfield.
Striker Rachel Christie will be looking for chances while Kate Guildford has returned after a year out last year.
The side also played a couple of games against male youth sides in the pre-season and that helped the team in its positional sense and tightening its marking.
The game will be played on the artificial turf at English Park, which will be different for the players.
Stevens will be in charge of the side, as head coach Hayley Stirling is in Jordan, at the women’s under-17 World Cup.
She has the role as a technical analyst for Fifa.
She watches games and trainings and reports to Fifa.
She is expected back in Dunedin next week.
