Green Island could not have hoped for a better situation to respond to last week’s thrashing.
The team is back in front of what should be a big home crowd tomorrow as the club celebrates its 125th anniversary.
The celebrations will be held over three days, beginning today, as old club members return to reminisce.
Green Island’s premier men’s team hosts the South City Royals in the second week of the Southern League as part of that.
Green Island comes off a 6-2 loss to league favourite Cashmere Technical in Christchurch last week.
It trailed 3-0 early, before being reduced to 10 men in the second half.
Coach Shane Carvell said the team had been disappointed with the result.
However, he said Green Island would take plenty from the experience of playing potentially the top team in the South Island.
"I think, with anything in life, situations you come up against, whether they’re good or bad, there’s always lessons you can learn.
"I think we came back with a few things we realised and we worked on them during the week at training.
"Hopefully, right the ship for a better quality performance in the weekend."
Carvell acknowledged the Royals would pose a tough challenge.
The teams had played twice this year already, winning one each.
The Royals were coming off a loss of their own last week against Otago University.
There would be plenty of motivation for the Green Island team this week, though, as the club celebrates its 125th.
Carvell said the club was in a good place both in terms of its numbers and successes in recent years.
That would be a source of pride for those involved, but there was plenty of acknowledgement for those who had come before.
"I’m sure that’ll be one thing with the current players," Carvell said.
"But I think also our current players acknowledge our club would not be where it is today if not for those older statesmen who have put in the hard yards and kept the club going and growing.
"I know the performance, hopefully, we can put on the park on Saturday will be in honour of those people from the past as well."
Otago University hosts Selwyn United at the Logan Park turf.
In Christchurch, Cashmere Technical will face Coastal Spirit, while Christchurch United will travel north to play Nelson Suburbs.
In the Women’s Premier League, Dunedin Technical can clinch its ninth consecutive title tonight.
