NZ Olympic coach to take United training session

New Zealand Olympic and Team Wellington national league soccer coach Stu Jacobs will take a two-hour training session for the Wairarapa United squad which are in the throes of preparing for the central league playoffs.
Howard Booth Park in Carterton will be the venue of the session to be held between 10am and 12 noon this Sunday.
Wairarapa United coach Phil Keinzley said Jacob's visit would have a two-fold effect.
Most importantly he had the expertise to offer expert advice in the coaching sphere and, secondly, it would allow the Wairarapa United players to make a favourable impression on him with a view to attaining higher honours.
"It's a win-win for all parties involved, and hopefully some of the local soccer fraternity will come along and learn from Stu as well," Keinzley said.
Just who will be Wairarapa United's initial opposition in the central league playoffs, which kick off on September 6, will be known on Saturday after Red Sox of Palmerston North and Masonvale United of Hastings meet in Palmerston North.
Both these sides were surprise winners when they took part in regional playoffs last weekend, Red Sox beating Napier City Rovers 2-1 and Masonvale United walloping the previously unbeaten Palmerston North End 5-1. Remarkably, Palmerston North End had only conceded four goals in all of their other club games this season.
Keinzley admits to knowing little about either Red Sox or Masonvale United so, not surprisingly, he will be heading to Palmerston North to watch Saturday's game with notebook in hand.
Whoever wins that game will square up against Wairarapa United in a two-match home and away series in which goal aggregate will decide the winner unless both teams finish level pegging.
Then a penalty shootout will be held at the end of the second game.
Safely through that Wairarapa United will then play another two-match home and away series, this time against the bottom-placed central league side in the 2008 season, Stop Out.
If Keinzley had a choice which he doesn't of course he would rather play next weekend's fixture in either Palmerston North or Hastings, thereby playing the second round of that series at home, probably at the Pugh Sports Bowl in Masterton.
"We've actually played some of our best soccer this season away from home so we wouldn't be fazed by having to travel for the first one," he said.
"And if you lose there you always have the advantage of knowing you have a home game to come."
Further good news for Wairarapa soccer is the effort of the Rathkeale College first XI to make the final of the Capital junior premier league despite missing the first three rounds of that competition.
They ended Aotea College's unbeaten run with a 2-1 last weekend to set up a final against Lower Hutt on Saturday.
Lower Hutt have beaten Rathkeale by a solitary goal in two previous meetings this season so they will be determined to reverse those results on this occasion.