Heartland effort pleases Ifill

IN PURSUIT: Heartland Wairarapa's Josh McMenamin jumps after the loose ball during his team's 3-1 loss to Manawatu on Saturday.PHOTO/CHRIS KILFORD

HEARTLAND Wairarapa coach Paul Ifill was not at all discouraged by his team's performance when they opened their national youth league football campaign with a 3-1 loss to Manawatu at Memorial Park, Masterton.

Ifill went into Saturday's game knowing a limited preparation and a lack of previous experience at the higher level were tough obstacles to overcome and was pleased with the competitiveness of his side considering those circumstances.

"You couldn't expect miracles when you think many of the players were only introducing themselves to one another a month ago and most of them are new to this type of competition.

"There were a few nerves around and a few times when players froze but that wasn't unexpected, it was a big lift in standard from what most of them have been used to."

Even allowing for their inexperience, Heartland Wairarapa gave about as good as they received in the first half and trailed 0-1 at halftime. While Manawatu outscored them 2-1 in the second half both their goals were rather "soft" affairs and the result of defensive errors.

"I think we gave them a harder game than most people would have predicted and it certainly gives us something to build on," Ifill said. "There were times when the movement of the ball was excellent, and we had a couple of near misses with shots at goal which could have made things really interesting had they gone in."

Absent from the Heartland Wairarapa line-up on Saturday were two of their star players, Liam Hare and Jaga Scott-Greenfield - Hare having shone in the 2015 Central League for Wairarapa United and Scott-Greenfield likewise for Western Suburbs. Both will be part of the action when Heartland Wairarapa confront Team Wellington in a second round national league game at Petone's Memorial Park tomorrow night, starting at 7pm.

Team Wellington lost 1-0 to Waitakere United in their opening game on Sunday and Ifill predicts they will be a more formidable opposition than Manawatu but he is optimistic Heartland Wairarapa will again give a strong account of themselves.

"For us, it's all about progress, of making improvement from game to game. Do that and the results will look after themselves."

Meanwhile, defending youth league champions Nelson Marlborough Falcons made a winning start to the new season on Sunday with a 1-0 victory over WaiBOP United at the Matamata Domain. Josh Lis' 60th minute strike was all that separated the sides.

Southern United began with a 3-2 victory over Auckland City at the Croatian Club ground in west Auckland, Ben Kiore's early double setting the visitors on their way before Connor Neil made it 3-0 just after the half-hour mark.

Nicholas Zambrano pulled a goal back on halftime but the hosts could only find one goal in the second half - through substitute Maro Bonsu-Maro.

Playing their first match in the competition, the Wellington Phoenix beat Hawke's Bay United 6-1 with Gianni Bouzoukis hitting four of the host's goals at Wakefield Park. Ruairi Cahill-Fleury added the other two. Ross Willox struck the visitor's only goal.

After starring for the New Zealand side at the Fifa U-20 World Cup this year, Noah Billingsley again made a difference, scoring Waitakere United's goal in their 1-0 win over Team Wellington in the capital.

Auckland United and Canterbury United shared the points after a 1-1 stalemate, both goals coming in the second half at Centre Park in Mangere.