Shock loss puts United in with a big chance

The odds of Wairarapa United winning Capital Soccer's division one men's competition this season shortened over the weekend.
For whereas they hammered Olympic 4-1 in Wellington to guarantee they would remain in second place on the points table both the competition leaders, Western Suburbs, and third placed Wellington United were beaten.
Western Suburbs suffered a shock 3-2 loss to Lower Hutt City while Wellington United were beaten 1-0 by Kapiti Coast United.
Those results reduced Western Suburbs's advantage over Wairarapa United to just three points (or one win) while Wellington United, which had been sharing second place with them, is now third, three points in arrears..
The current points list is: Western Suburbs 35, Wairarapa United 32, Wellington United 29, Kapiti Coast United 26, Lower Hutt City 29, Naenae 23, Miramar Rangers 21, Wainuiomata 9, Olympic 8, Seatoun 4.
Wairarapa United coach Phil Keinzley believes his side now have a realistic chance of overhauling Western Suburbs over the final three weeks of competition play,an outcome which would not only give them the league title but also automatic promotion to the Capital premier division for 2006.
"If we can win our last three games it's on," Keinzley said. "Lose one, and we will probably end up second at best."
Wairarapa United complete their programme with a match against Kapiti Coast United at Waikanae this coming Saturday, followed by home games against Miramar Rangers and Wainuiomata.
Kapiti Coast United, boosted as they will be by their latest success over Wellington United, should provide the most formidable opposition of the three, especially at Waikanae, a ground which is very much a "cauldron" for opposition sides.
"They (Kapiti Coast) always seem to raise the bar there and it's going to be a tough one for us," Keinzley said. "Attitude will be everything, we have to take a hard-nosed approach right from the word go."
Western Suburbs also have a difficult match this coming weekend. They will square off against Wellington United in what should be a battle royal.
If Wellington United happen to win and Wairarapa United beats Kapiti Coast then Wairarapa United will join Western Suburbs at the top of the table.Even better than that they will, in fact, be accorded the number one spot because of their better goal difference.
Keinzley was pleased with the number of scoring opportunities created by his team in their latest victory over Olympic but admits they probably should have scored at least double the four goals they managed.
"We could have easily won by eight or 10, that's the sort of dominance we had" he said. "But we got to the stage where everybody was lining up to have a shot rather than keeping to a structure and that didn't help"
The potential within the Wairarapa United squad was illustrated by there being three 16-year-olds on the paddock at the game's end and Anton Ross, Aaron Spierling and Anaru Te Rangi. all made their presence felt. As did goalkeeper Charles Kendal who was safe and sure in everything he did.
Goal scorers for Wairarapa United, which led 2-0 at halftime, were Sakeo Valevou, Pita Rabo, Aaron Spierling and Andrew Taylor.