A huge challenge awaits Southland United in its first home match of the Southern Football League tomorrow.
Still searching for its first point of the South Island league, it hosts league favourite Cashmere Technical in Invercargill.
It is coming off losses to Dunedin Technical and Queenstown FC, but
players are looking for a good performance in front of their home crowd.
However, coach Luis Pavia is well aware of the threat Cashmere poses. It boasts several national league players, notably former All White Aaron Clapham, who is a class above.
That did not stop Ferrymead Bays holding the Christchurch side to a 1-1 draw last week, although it had a handy win in a high-scoring encounter with Queenstown in week one.
"Obviously, Cashmere Tech is one of the powerhouses of the South Island and is filled with quality players," Pavia said.
"Not just quality, but experienced players as well, so it’s going to be a very difficult game.
"At the same time I think it’s one of those games that everyone wants to play.
"It’s really good for us to host the game here, to get the community involved."
Pavia said the league so far had been challenging.
The 3-0 loss to Dunedin Tech had been disappointing from a results perspective, although he felt the performance was not too bad. Last week, against Queenstown, the side had not been able to take its chances in the first half.
It went to halftime at 0-0 and after going one behind, evened the score up late.
However, a red card quashed its ambitions for a match-winner and Queenstown ended up scoring a second of its own in the final minute.
The level had been high in both games, as the team had known it would be, Pavia said.
He was excited about the prospect of Southern United’s first home game.
"We don’t get this level of football every day down here in Invercargill.
"It’s good that the game’s on Sunday. It doesn’t clash with local football.
"It’s always a reason to leave the house and come for an hour and a-half of quality football and to watch players we don’t get the chance to watch every day.
"We’re excited. We’ve been looking forward to this first home game and we just hope the community can come along and enjoy [it]."
Southern would look to limit the chances of Cashmere’s dangerous midfield, while also ensuring it brought energy to its game.
Meanwhile Dunedin Technical hosts Ferrymead Bays at Tahuna Park — a change from the Caledonian Ground — while Queenstown travels to play Nelson Suburbs.
In the all-Christchurch game, Nomads United play Coastal Spirit.
