THE recent wet weather has forced the Western NSW Mariners FC women’s State League side to go three weeks without a match and for that matter, without even having a proper training session.

Coach Mick Godbier would like to think it won’t have an impact on their chances against APIA Leichhardt tomorrow in Mudgee, but he is realistic.

“It has been incredibly frustrating, the Jack Brabham complex in Orange has been shut for most of that time, so most of these girls will be going onto the field this weekend having not kicked a ball for three weeks,” he said.

“We’ve had two games washed-out now, we make up the one against Mount Druitt next weekend on the Saturday before playing St George on Sunday, both games in Sydney.

“That’s going to be an incredibly tough couple of days – a double-header away from home is very tough, the travel, the cost of staying there and so forth. It’s not an ideal situation.

“It all makes this Sunday’s match even more important, we’re playing against a good side who are very much in the mix this season.”

There can be no doubt that the competition has evened up markedly this season, and it isn’t unreasonable to suggest that any of the top seven sides can beat each other on a given day.

Even competition battlers Parramatta pushed the Mariners to a 4-3 result in their match on May 29.

Godbier has said repeatedly that APIA are a force to be reckoned with in 2016 and they have lived up to his endorsement so far. They sit in third, two points above fourth-placed Western.

Western do have a game in hand over the Tigers, as well as second placed University of NSW, and are also close enough to go past leaders Southern Districts if they are to win this weekend and their two catch-up games as well.

“It is such an even competition at the moment, Mount Druitt have turned themselves right around, Southern Districts are playing great football,” Godbier said.

“We’ve got targets on our back after being so good last year and a lot of other sides have caught up. 

“APIA play a very similar style to us. They play out nicely from the back and have a couple of very quick and skilful wingers who cross it in nicely.

“We are without [captain] Kristy Collingridge for this match. In this situation where we haven’t played for a while and we desperately need to win, we really need our senior players and leaders to stand up, so with her unavailable it makes it harder.

“But hopefully the rest of the side can lift for her and make sure we get a win for her.”

The Mariners play the Tigers at Glen Willow in Mudgee from 3pm tomorrow.