Southern United's high-flying Youth National League team wants to get back to winning form against Wairarapa at Forrester Park tomorrow.
The Forrester Park pitch has been specially re-marked at right angles to the normal set-up to avoid the damaged playing surface as much as possible.
Last week's 3-1 loss to Wanderers disappointed coach Kevin Scoullar, and he has had some tough training sessions to emphasise the dedicated approach that he seeks.
Southern Youth is still third on the table while Wairarapa has won none of its four games played so far, with statistics of three goals scored and nine conceded.
But Scoullar is not getting overconfident.
''We are still ''work in progress'' and if we do not do the simple things well, we will be punished,'' said Scoullar.
''It's a simple game, we just want to see good movement and passing, move and pass, move and pass, and that will achieve good results.
''Last week, we stopped doing the simple things and paid for it. So I am looking for a better product this week.''
The match kicks off at 1pm. Football South women also play tomorrow, taking on Central at Tahuna Park at 1pm.
It is going to be a tough match, with injuries to senior players Hanna English and Elise Mamanu-Gray leaving coach Hayley Stirling with a young midfield, averaging 17 years old.
However, the coach was not too downcast.
''They have heaps of potential, and have shown controlled phases of play against very experienced opposition,'' she said.
''Last week, we were beaten 7-1 eventually by WaiBOP, but we scored first through Alex McIntosh, and later we had a strong second half and hit their woodwork twice.''
''We struggled to contain their striker, Helen Collins, who just returned from PNG playing for the Ferns. She has played 29 times for New Zealand against Russia, Scotland and in the Pacific Islands, scoring nine times at international level.
''Predictably, our defence found it difficult to contain her. It is another big step up for our girls to play against her class of player.''
Striker Collins was instrumental in the Football Ferns reaching their third successive Fifa Women's World Cup tournament at the Oceania Women's Nations Cup in Papua New Guinea.
Stirling hopes her squad will continue to improve and it should be a close-run thing tomorrow.
''We are about even at the foot of the competition. Central drew 2-2 with Northern Football, but have conceded 20 goals in four matches, so we hope to ... register our first win of the season.
''But we will not take them lightly.''
