Belconnen United captain Taylor Beaton has one wish for his 100th game – to beat arch-rivals Canberra FC and collect three vital competition points.
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Even at this early stage of the Canberra National Premier League season, Saturday's clash between the two unbeaten sides at McKellar Park looms as a pivotal junction for the league championship.
Beaton led the Blue Devils to the league championship in 2012 before Canberra FC reclaimed the trophy last season.
The 23-year-old has been playing in the Premier League since he was 17 and was a teammate of Socceroos star Tom Rogic when he was at the club in 2011.
With United and Canberra FC having collected the maximum of 12 points from their opening four games, Beaton is well aware this is more important than just a regular fixture.
"It's a nice milestone and it's good it's come in such a big game, but my full concentration is on the game,'' Beaton said.
"It's definitely a game that there's a different buzz around the team and always draws a bit of a crowd.
"Everyone's always up for it.''
Beaton progressed through the ACT junior system, playing in representative teams at under-14 and under-15 level and being a part of the ACT Academy of Sport.
He was in the ACTAS intake before Rogic, who after playing for Belconnen won a scholarship to train in Britain before emerging as a star with the Central Coast Mariners in the A-League and then joining Scottish giant Celtic.
"Even then, you could see his dribbling ability and that he was going to be hard to play against,'' Beaton said.
"And when he came to Belconnen you could see his quality, he made it look very easy.
"He did the same when he was at Central Coast – he's so strong on the ball and a very good dribbler.''
Both sides are coming off emphatic victories last weekend.
United hammered Canberra City 7-1, while Canberra FC was also dominant in smashing the FFA Centre of Excellence 6-1.
In the round's other three games, which are on Sunday, the FFA Centre of Excellence takes on Canberra Olympic, Woden Valley hosts Cooma Tigers and Tuggeranong United takes on Monaro Panthers at Kambah.
Canberra National Premier League: Saturday: Belconnen United v Canberra FC at McKellar Park, 5pm. Sunday: FFA Centre of Excellence v Canberra Olympic at AIS Grass Fields, 3pm. Woden Valley v Cooma Tigers at Kaleen, 3pm. Tuggeranong United v Monaro Panthers at Kambah, 3pm.
