Wairarapa United are taking nothing for granted in their return central league playoff soccer match with Maycenvale United in Hastings tomorrow.
All the talk in the Wairarapa United camp this week has revolved around them producing another top-notch performance rather than dwelling on the 4-0 win secured at the Pugh Sports Bowl last weekend.
They know a Maycenvale United side, needing to win by at least four goals to have any prospect of stopping Wairarapa United from making it through to the central league promotion-relegation match with Stop Ou,t will be fired up, and that they have the attacking skills to take full advantage of any complacency.
Particularly since former national league striker Leon Birnie is expected to be part of their line-up on this occasion.
"Last weekend is gone, it's tomorrow we have to focus on," Wairarapa United coach Phil Keinzley emphasised. "We got four goals in one game and so can they, it's not over yet."
Keinzley is hoping however that in their desperation for goals Maycenvale United will be so intent on pushing players forward they will leave holes to be exploited in their defence.
"The odds are we will have counter attacking opportunities and we need to make the most of them, "Keinzley said. "It's just a matter of staying patient and waiting for them to come."
Even scoring just the one goal will be a big help to Wairarapa United's cause as under the playoff rules the first goal scored by the visiting team is actually worth two, a system which is apparently common in Europe for similar competitions. The idea being to encourage teams playing away from home to be more attacking in their approach.
So if Wairarapa United score only the one goal tomorrow Maycenvale United will actually need six to force a penalty shootout & a huge ask in anybody's language.
While delighted with last weekend's effort Keinzley believes there is still scope for improvement for Wairarapa United, particularly in the speed in which they move the ball from one side of the field to the other.
"We did use the width of the field well last weekend but we could have been quicker in the pace we did it," he said.
That Wairarapa United will field the same starting line-up tomorrow as they did at the Pugh Sports Bowl is hardly surprising with youngsters Aaron Spierling and Anton Ross deservedly being retained in midfield.
Spierling was seen in a more defensive role than usual last weekend and handled it splendidly while Ross was an absolute livewire on attack, firing in the high cross which a leaping Maycenvale United 'keeper allowed to slip through his hands and into the net and coming close to score on another couple of occasions as well. Reports are he is heading to Otago University next season and his infectious enthusiasm will be missed.
The full Wairarapa United squad is:
Matt Borren, Carl Shailer, James Oxtoby, Waisake Sabutu, Andy Robertson, Sakeo Valevou, Miriek Tvaroh, Aaron Spierling, Anton Ross, Pita Rabo, Seule Soromon. Reserves: Paul Gregory, Guiseppe Cagliari, Anaru Te Rangi, Kota Maeno.
The Wairarapa United under-19 side will play Tawa in an Ivan England Trophy match at Rathkeale College on Sunday. They were forced to default to Lower Hutt last weekend because it clashed not only with the central league playoff fixture but also the Wellington JPL final involving the Rathkeale College first X1 and now sit third on the competition table.
Its not over yet, says coach
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.