Oxtoby stars as United grind out win

If hard work was the main criteria then Manawatu "import" James Oxtoby would have been the top contender for any player of the match award as Anderson's Meats Wairarapa United ground their way to a 1-0 win over Island Bay in the Capital Soccer premier division match played at Carterton on Saturday.
Wairarapa United coach Phil Keinzley has often waxed lyrical about Oxtoby's fitness and speed, and you could see why as he came up with an outstanding performance both on attack and defence.
On attack he was invariably the key link between the midfield and his strikers, and whenever he looked to make ground himself he usually managed to beat a couple of tackles before off loading to a supporting player.
And on defence he was not only sure and accurate in one-on-one confrontations, but always willing to cover extra territory to help team-mates out as well.
The match itself was as close as the final scoreline would indicate, with Wairarapa United having a clear edge in terms of both territory and possession in the first half and Island Bay likewise in the second.
So dominant were they in the opening 45 minutes, in fact, that Wairarapa United should have had the game done and dusted by the halftime break.
That all they had show for their efforts was a well-taken Pita Rabo goal, was due in part to some determined Island Bay defence, but more because prime scoring chances were all too often wasted through players tending more towards individualism than teamwork.
Openings would be created but support players would be ignored as the player in possession elected to go it alone.
Island Bay ? the only team to have toppled competition leaders Petone thus far this season ? would therefore have been happy to be trailing by just the one goal at halftime and, not surprisingly, they elected to place the emphasis fairly and squarely on attack in the second spell.
It was a tactic which worked well too, with Wairarapa United being forced to spend long periods in their own territory, but with Oxtoby and goalkeeper Tony Jamieson showing the way their defensive play was solid enough to keep their scoreless.
Seldom in that second half was the stacking potential of Wairarapa United exposed, but again a couple of good scoring opportunities were wasted through combinations going awry before the last line of defence was pierced.
If Oxtoby and Jamieson emerged as the pick of the Wairarapa United players, one also had to admire the tenacity of youngsters Aaron Spierling and Carl Shailer, the solidness of Murray Burling and the elusiveness of strikers Rabo and Lai Gataurua.
The latter caused panic stations in the Island Bay defence on two or three occasions with his acceleration and clever ball skills.
Wairarapa United coach Phil Keinzley was fulsome in his praise of his own team's defensive work, especially in the second half when Island Bay were all guns blazing.
"We've worked really hard to get our defence up to scratch, and it's starting to tell," he said. "We had the third worst defensive record early on, but now we've got the third best???the improvement has been pretty remarkable."
Saturday's win enhanced Wairarapa United's chances of winning the premier division title as Petone was held to a draw by Hutt Valley, and are now just two points clear of Tawa with Wairarapa United a further point back in third place.
Keinzley said it was still a case though of Wairarapa United needing to win all seven of their remaining games to be a big chance for overall honours. "Yes we've closed the gap, but we can't afford another loss?that would just about be the end of us," he said.