Metro and Taroona should continue their chase at the top of Division One

Metro should maintain their 4-point lead at the top of the Division One competition by beating sixth-placed Christian United at home at North Chigwell on Saturday.

And, second-placed Taroona are also favoured to overcome fourth-placed Nelson Eastern Suburbs at home at Kelvedon Park.

Christian United trained at Sherburd Park for the first time in two weeks this week, which is hardly adequate preparation for taking on the league leaders.

Brodie Whayman re-injured an ankle at training and looks like missing more games now.

Defender Ben DeHoog missed Christian’s previous match but returns in this game.

Metro have far too much firepower for Christian and should further improve their goal-difference.

Taroona will be without Llewyn Tubb for the game against Nelson as he is interstate, so Lucas Wyatt comes in to the line-up at right-back.

Striker Daniel Palmer will make his first start in a couple of seasons and play at centre-forward, while Chris Cox will move to the left wing.

Duncan Carey will start on the bench.

“We’ve had an interrupted few weeks with postponed games and cancelled training sessions, so I will be hoping we can come out, get settled and find our touch quickly,” said Taroona coach, Ben Horgan.

Nelson defender Robert Brooke is doubtful because of a knee problem, while striker Luke Wallace will also be missing.

Andrew Gaskell, a striker from the under-19s, will get a run and utility players Jayden Andrews or Rowan Sakul may come into the team.

“It was a bad result for us last week, with Beachside moving the ball around well in difficult, muddy conditions,” said Nelson coach, Michael Roach.

“Their finishing was also spot on, while we were inconsistent in our defensive efforts and, when we did create opportunities going forward, our decision making was poor.

“I just didn’t think the players were in the right mood to play.

“Having one of our few consistently good performers in Luke Wallace out this week won’t help either, but we do have enough good players at this club to get a result against Taroona.

“It’s time for the players to show some determination and self belief.”

Bottom-side Hobart United entertain fifth-placed Northern Suburbs DOSA at Pontville on Sunday and will be looking to continue their improvement now that they are just 2 points adrift of second-last Christian United.

DOSA will be without Calvin Frith because of work commitments, but Joel Richardson returns.

Scott MacCrum and Nick Radovanovic must pass fitness tests, with Adam Bronson and Janagan Durijah waiting in the wings for coach Joe O’Hea’s nod to play should they fail.

“Our last two games have been against the top two teams, conceding two goals in each,” said DOSA’s Richard Korn.

“In both games, we’ve played well defensively, restricting the opposition to ‘kick and hope’ shots most of the time.

“Goalkeeper Justin Farrugia is keeping the best he has since 2004.

“We’ve changed his training and pre-match routines back to what they were five years ago and it’s working well for him.

“We have not been effective in counter-attacking, however, and that is where we will need to lift if we’re to have any chance of gaining much-needed points against a quickly improving Hobart United.

“The two teams have played twice this year, both times resulting in wins to DOSA, by 2-0 in the Summer Cup and 5-2 in round one in the league.

“We’re aware we’ll be facing a much different Hobart United team this time around.”