Now the hard work really begins

A goal-scoring spree is on the cards when Wairarapa United and Maycenvale United meet in the first of their central league playoff soccer matches at the Pugh Sports Bowl on Sunday.
Even a cursory glance at the record of both sides in club play this season would indicate they operate on the basis that attack is the best form of defence.
Maycenvale United has already tallied 71 goals, 10 of them in their last two games which have produced 5-1 victories over the two top sides in the Manawatu province, Palmerston North End and Palmerston North Red Sox.
And while Wairarapa United managed a somewhat smaller total, 48, in winning the Capital premier division title for the first time, that number was nine more than second placed Tawa
Wairarapa United coach Phil Keinzley is confident that remedial work carried out at the Pugh Sports Bowl over the past week will have it in good enough condition to suit the attacking philosophy of the two sides&&&.providing of course that the rains stay away over the next 48 hours!
"The wicket block has always been a problem in the wet because it tends to cut up rather quickly but hopefully we won't have to worry about that," he said.
Staging the game on Sunday rather than tomorrow was a deliberate move by Wairarapa United to give as many people as possible the chance to watch what promises to be a thoroughly entertaining and closely-contested match.
Big crowds were present at most of the Capital premier division matches played there this season and Sunday should be no exception to that rule.
In fact, with Wairarapa United aiming to attain central league status for the first time in their 14-year history it could be argued with some justification that this is their most important match of the 2008 season to date. And therefore worthy of their biggest crowd as well.
Not surprisingly, Keinzley will be stressing to his troops the need to produce a positive result from Sunday's game because a loss would have them under enormous pressure for the return match against Maycenvale in Hastings the following weekend.
At the same time , however, it wouldn't necessarily be all doom and gloom, as Wairarapa United have actually played most of their best soccer away from home this season.
"A win is what we want but if we lose we need it to be close," Keinzley said.
"We don't want to be going to Hastings chasing a heap of goals, that would be impossible."
Pleasing for Wairarapa United is that for the one of the very few times this season Keinzley will not only have a full muster of players on the field of play but on the reserves bench as well.
The starting line-up did pretty much select itself with one exception, who to join the rugged Mierik Tvaroh in the centre of the midfield.
Keinzley was "tossing up" between Aaron Spierling and Paul Gregory there with the decision due to be finalised after training last evening.
Maycenvale United impressed Keinzley with their structure and composure in midfield when he watched them demolish Red Sox last Saturday and he has no doubts that whichever team controls that part of the game will have gone a long way towards winning the match.
"In any game where the two teams are intent on attacking the solidity of the midfield becomes crucial," he said.
"If you make mistakes there you are often in trouble because it gives the attacker that extra bit of space and momentum, and goals become more likely when that happens," Keinzley explained. "They (Maycenvale) have some excellent finishers, we simply have to shut them down before they work up a full head of steam.That's where the midfield comes in.".
Two other words which Keinzley will be stressing to Wairarapa United are accuracy and discipline.
He is confident that in Pita Rabo and Seule Soromon his team have two players who can be lethal in the goal scoring department, providing the service given to them is up to scratch.
"You can't expect them to create goals out of nothing, you have to put the ball in places where they can run onto it at speed," he said. .
The Wairarapa United coach always wants his team to keep their cool in situations where physical contact could be involved. "We want our players focussing on the game, not on any outside influences," he said.
"It's inevitable there will be a few argy-bargys but we have to let the referee deal with that. That's what he is there for and you have to trust him to do the job."
The Wairarapa United squad is: Matt Borren; Carl Shailer, James Oxtoby, Waisake Sabutu, Andy Robertson, Anton Ross, Mierik Tvaroh, Aaron Spierling or Paul Gregory, Sakeo Valevou, Pia Rabo, Seule Soromon.Reserves: Gregory or Spierling, Guiseppe Cagliari,Anaru Te Rangi, Kota Maeno.