Heartland to get physical

TUSSLE: Heartland Wairarapa's Josh Ebert (left) battles with Team Wellington striker Toban Mokaii at Memorial Park last weekend.PHOTO/JAMES ELLISTON

Coping with the physicality of their opposition could be the biggest test facing Heartland Wairarapa when they confront Nelson Marlborough Falcons in a national youth league football match at Nelson on Sunday.

Nelson Marlborough kicked off their 2014 campaign with a 2-0 win over Southern United in a game played in miserable conditions at Dunedin's Tuhuna Park last weekend, both goals coming in the first half.

Coach Davor Tarich was delighted with how his squad won what he called a "battle of wills".

"We didn't play that great but we got the three points, and that's all that matters right now," he said. "It was very cold and wet, very difficult to play any quality football. We had to minimise the amount of touches on the ball and concentrate on taking it forward. That worked out for us. We scored two good goals in the first half and then in the second half we pretty much closed the shop, and kept them away from the goal."

Heartland Wairarapa coach Phil Keinzley flew to Dunedin on Sunday to watch the game and was impressed by the physicality of the Nelson Marlborough outfit. "They are a big side and they are aggressive in the way they play, they certainly don't mind a bit of push and shove," Keinzley said.

As was the case last year, when Nelson Marlborough surprised pundits by finishing fourth in their debut season in the national youth league, it was striker Oscar Guardiola who was central to the side's attack. His goal was a beauty, coming after he was pushed wide by the Southern United defence and scoring with a shot from the outside of his front foot, curling the ball inside the far post.

"He's good, very good," Keinzley said of Guardiola. "You can't afford to give him space, he's got the skills to punish you if you let him run."

Nelson Marlborough skipper Coey Turipa is another star member of his team.

He made two or three fine saves against Southern United and always looked calm under pressure.

Three changes have been made to the Heartland Wairarapa squad from the one which lined up in the 4-0 loss to Team Wellington last weekend.

The Hemi brothers, Thomas and Mark, and Tavonga Mahowa have been replaced by defenders Josh McMenamin (Greytown) and James Marsh (Stop Out) and striker Michael Fraser (Western Suburbs). The replacing of Thomas Hemi by Fraser will raise a few eyebrows but both fall into the over-age category, of which two are allowed.

The change comes because Keinzley is looking for his side to have a different tactical approach this weekend and Fraser, who has shone for Wests at Central League level, is seen as a better option because of that.

"It's pretty much a case of horses for courses, that's all there is to it," Keinzley said.

"We want to play a certain way and he (Fraser) has the skills to be an important part of what we do."