Footballsouth faces Mainland Pride in Dunedin today in what promises to be a thrilling women's youth league derby.
After a 5-0 thrashing by Capital, coach Darren Rewi's Footballsouth side bounced back with a good performance against Central in Napier.
Footballsouth took a 2-1 lead before eventually being beaten 5-3 by Central, which tops the Southern Conference.
The fact that Sam Muirhead, Mary Fraser and Sahara MacDonald scored goals against top opposition augurs well for the future of women's football in the South.
The task now for the young side is to tighten up in defence, while maintaining a presence in attack.
Previous form in seven matches is tight, with Footballsouth having won three clashes and Mainland four.
Mainland coach Mike De Bono has made four changes, with Isla Smith, Zara Walker, Rachel Brodie and Belinda Van Noorden making way for Laura Merrin, Lauren Debner and Alana Ainsworth.
Injury concerns over key Footballsouth players Muirhead and Kelsey Kennard have forced coach Rewi to name an enlarged squad for Saturday.
WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
- Tahuna Park, today, 2pm
• Footballsouth: Tess Nichol, Amber Mulhill-Larsen, Kelsey Kennard, Annie Gilchrist, Sara Stannard, Georgia Brown, Jordyn Walker, Kushla Glover, Mary Fraser, Sam Muirhead, Charley Kerry, Samantha Sewpersad, Holly Smaill, Sahara Macdonald, Shontelle Smith, Chelsea Whittaker, Ana Keelty, Melissa Todd, Claire McCorkindale.
• Mainland: Victoria Esson, Maia Vink, Chelsea Bignal, Emily Jensen, Laura Merrin, Monique Barker, Hannah Wong, Hayley McKnight, Gabrielle Brodie, Mikayla Weblets, Alana Ainsworth, Ashleigh Ward, Lauren Dabner, Bridget Milne, Lilly Allfield.
