Clinical finishing pays off

ON THE BALL: Chris Cox is expected to be part of Saturday's action.

Heartland Wairarapa should be brimming with confidence when they take on Manawatu in the last of their ASB national youth league football matches at Hullena Park in Masterton on Saturday.

The expected new-found spring in the step will come from their 5-1 thumping of Hawke's Bay last weekend, a result that gave them three good reasons to celebrate.

It was Heartland Wairarapa's first win in the 2014 championship, it moved them off the bottom of the points table and it represented the first time this season that they had turned most of their scoring chances into goals.

That latter point was particularly pleasing for coach Lloyd O'Keefe, who has spent most of the season watching his side outplay their opposition with their free-flowing entertaining brand of football only to have little to show for their efforts because of poor finishing.

"We had talked a lot about the need to be more clinical in our finishing and this time we got it pretty right," O'Keefe said.

"We still missed a penalty and at least one open goal but we put five in. You have to be happy with that."

While the final scoreline might suggest otherwise, O'Keefe said Hawke's Bay were a handy side whose standard of play was similar to most of the other teams Heartland Wairarapa had met this season.

"Honestly they weren't too bad, the goals we got were all well constructed and well finished off, it wasn't like they went to pieces."

Two Wairarapa-based players, Chris Cox and Arnon Tapp, were part of the action against the Bay. O'Keefe was pleased with their performances and expects them to take the field against a Manawatu side which sit fifth on the league table on 17 points, achieved though five wins and two draws.

That compares more than favourably with Heartland Wairarapa's one win and three draws and ensures the visitors will have the favourite's tag.

O'Keefe, however, has no doubts his squad are capable of completing their season on a high note. They are playing Team Wellington's senior line-up in a practice match at Dave Farrington Park in Miramar tonight and he expects that experience to have them "fully tuned" to give Manawatu a decent run for their money.

"We're really looking forward to the challenge. It's a great opportunity to finish on a high note and that's the aim."

Win, lose or draw though one thing is for certain, Heartland Wairarapa will not compromise the style of football they have played all season.

"We won't be getting into kick and chase. We'll be looking to string lots of passes together and play some quality football," O'Keefe said.

The points table for the national youth league is: Waitakere United 24, Nelson Marlborough Falcons 24, Wellington 19, Canterbury 18, Manawatu 17, Waikato-Bay of Plenty 16, Wanderers 13, Auckland City 13, Southern United 13, Auckland United 7, Heartland Wairarapa 6 and Hawke's Bay 3.