Hullena Park club comes to United’s rescue

Hullena Park in Masterton has been confirmed as the venue for this Sunday's central league football fixture between Trust House Wairarapa United and Napier City Rovers.
Fears had earlier been expressed over the possibility of Wairarapa United having to concede home advantage through the poor state of the Pugh Sports Bowl pitch but the club which controls Hullena Park in Johnstone street, Masterton AFC, have come to the rescue.
Much to the gratitude of Wairarapa United coach Phil Keinzley who was quick to sing their praises yesterday, not only for allowing the central league match to be played there but also for deciding no matches would be held on the No.1 field on Saturday to ensure it was in the best possible shape.
"I'm pretty sure we would have been heading to Napier but for the Masterton AFC, they've been absolutely marvellous," he said.
Keinzley was struggling to recall when last Wairarapa United's premier men's played at Hullena Park but he was guessing it could be as many as nine years ago.
And he is delighted that for the very first time in their central league campaign he will actually be able to field his strongest possible side.
"No one is unavailable, injured or suspended ... hell, I'm still struggling to believe it," he said. "It's a nice change I can tell you!"
Making that situation even more pleasing for Keinzley is that Wairarapa United are coming off a 5-0 beating from runaway competition leaders Western Suburbs and he is keen for them to strike back with a convincing performance.
"Wests were too good for us but not five goals too good, we didn't deserve that," Keinzley said.
"But people look at the score and see a hiding, that's the way it goes."
Napier City Rovers will not pose the same threat as Wests but with Wairarapa United eight points behind them on the competition table they will go into Sunday's match as clear favourites.
Keinzley is confident, however, that if Wairarapa United produce anything like their best form they are capable of victory, and now that any relegation worries seem to have disappeared he wants the players to have next season in their thoughts when they take the field.
This is because of a belief Wairarapa United will challenge strongly for the central league title then, providing their current deficiencies are exposed and remedied.
"Now is the time for players to show they want to be there in 2009, that they have the skills and the hunger to make the sort of impact we need from them," he said. "Beating Napier would be a good start in that respect, wouldn't it?"
A likely Wairarapa United team for Sunday is: Richard Gillespie, Carl Shailer, Adam Cowan, Waisake Sabatu, James Oxtoby, Sakeo Valevou, Miriek Tvaroh, Pita Rabo, Nick Roydhouse, Campbell Banks, Seule Soromon, Subs: Aaron Spierling, Andy Robertson, Kote Maeno.
Kickoff is at 2pm.