Odds stacked heavily against United

The form book suggests Wairarapa United are on a hiding to nothing in their central league football match with Petone at Petone tomorrow.
With Petone sitting second equal on the points table with four wins, three draws and just the one loss from their eight matches and Wairarapa United languishing in ninth position after having secured one win, two draws and five losses the odds heavily favour a comfortable Petone victory.
Not only that, Wairarapa United are coming off the back of one their most disappointing efforts of their central league campaign, a 3-0 loss at the hands of fellow strugglers Palmerston North and will be without one of their more consistent performers in Adam Cowan who was red carded in that game.
Petone, on the other hand, will be full of confidence after their 2-2 draw with front runners Miramar Rangers last weekend, that despite the fact they are almost certain to be missing two of their stars , goalkeeper James Ballantyne and Andy Barron, because of their All Whites commitments.
Such is the current depth in the Petone squad even players of their calibre can be adequately replaced.
Wairarapa United coach Phil Keinzley readily concedes that, on the face of it, his side are facing an uphill battle but he has been encouraged enough by the enthusiasm shown in training this week to be hopeful of them at least making a competitive game of it.
"Honestly, I doubt whether we have trained better all season than we did on Tuesday," he said. "Everyone was on the job, it was good stuff."
Keinzley was also pleased with the positive response from his players when they were told some "home truths" after Tuesday's training session. Their on-field efforts had been dissected in detail and the message given that unless there was a major improvement in attitude they were destined to remain in the relegation zone.
"I think everyone agreed we should be doing better than we are and that we all to take responsibility for that," Keinzley said. "We've copped plenty of flak and we've deserved it. Now it's up to us to turn things around."
An offer by skipper Pita Rabo to resign from that role was turned down in a secret ballot by his team mates and Keinzley saw that too as an encouraging sign. "It would have been totally unfair for Pita to take the rap for everyone else, a captain can only do so much, can't they?"
Fears were that Rabo and defender James Oxtoby could miss tomorrow's game through having picked up their fifth yellow cards last weekend but, in actual fact, they are both sitting on four yellows.
The problem now, of course, is if they get their fifth tomorrow they will miss next weekend's fixture against the only team currently below them on the points table, Wellington United, and that would be a huge blow leading into such a crucial encounter.
Most other central league sides would probably be tempted to rest Rabo and Oxtoby from the Petone match as a consequence but Wairarapa United simply don't have the depth to be able to afford that luxury, and Keinzley has his "fingers and toes crossed" they won't be yellow carded again.
"Obviously you can't second guess what the referee will do in certain situations but hopefully they can get through the game without any hassles," Keinzley said of Rabo and Oxtoby. "It's a fine line really, you don't want them to hold back and at the same time you don't want them to give the ref any chance to go to his pocket either."
Making his debut for Wairarapa United tomorrow is Waitakere national football championship player Nick Roydhouse, who has represented his country on numerous occasions at age group level. He will play at left half after making a huge impression at training on Tuesday. "He is as fit as a buck rat and has the skills to go with it, he's going to be a huge plus for us," Phil Keinzley said.
Unfortunately the other big gain for Wairarapa United in recent weeks, goalkeeper Richard Gillespie, isn't available on this occasion and he has been replaced by seconds team 'keeper Matt Steele who can expect a busy time of if from what is a potent Petone attack.
The likely Wairarapa United starting line-up is: Matt Steele, James Oxtoby, Waisake Sabatu, Carl Shailer, Andy Robertson, Nick Roydhouse, Miriek Tvaroh, Pita Rabo, Paul Gregory, Sakeo Valevou, Seule Soromon.