Spectacular effort sees United home

Wairarapa United crushed Maycenvale United 4-0 in the first of their central league playoff matches before a large and appreciative crowd at the Pugh Sports Bowl in Masterton yesterday.
It was a stunning performance by Wairarapa United and a giant step towards making it through to the promotion-relegation series against the bottom-placed side from the 2008 central league, Stop Out.
All they need to do now is avoid getting beaten by more than three goals in the return fixture with Maycenvale United in Hastings next weekend and they are home and hosed.
What made Wairarapa United's effort so impressive yesterday was that with an ounce or two of luck they could have stretched their winning margin to six or seven goals, and remember this was against a Maycenvale United side which that had beaten the best Gisborne, Wanganui, Manawatu and Hawke's Bay could offer to reach this far.
On paper they had to pose a sterner challenge to Wairarapa United than any of the opposition they met on their way to winning the Capital premier division competition and no one could have anticipated them being eclipsed in the manner they were.
It is difficult to recall, in fact, more than a couple of situations when Maycenvale United actually threatened the Wairarapa United goal and it's fair to say they were actually flattered by their four goal loss. They were without their main striker Leon Birnie but their forwards got so little quality ball he would have struggled to make any sort of impact.
The visitors were rocked back on their heels in the opening minutes when Wairarapa United's Carl Shailer fired a shot from all of 25m out into the back of the net.
It was just the start the home team wanted and they almost made it two when striker Seule Soromon threaded his way through the opposition defence and left Sakeo Valevou with an open goal. Unfortunately his shot was high and the score remained at 1-0.
Soromon was again prominent in a move which ended with Anton Ross firing his shot over the crossbar and then Aaron Spierling sent in a high floating cross which was misjudged by Maycenvale United goal keeper Kyle Baxter looking into the sun and went through his hands into the net. Wairarapa United 2, Maycenvale United 0.
That was to the end of the scoring action in the first half but there were several other prime chances created by Wairarapa United.
Pita Rabo had a shot well saved by Baxter, Soromon shot wide with the defence beaten and Anton Ross and Soromon combined in a movement which took the desperate thrusting out of a leg by a Maycenvale United player to keep them out.
The dominance of Wairarapa United was clearly frustrating the Maycenvale United side and on one occasion outstanding midfielder Mieriek Tvaroh earned a penalty after being tackled to the ground in rugby fashion.
The second spell opened just as the first had ended with Wairarapa United calling the tune.
Soromon and Rabo teased the opposition defence with some tricky footwork and nifty ball control which probably should have produced a goal and Tvaroh drew a diving save from Baxter with a powerful drive from well out.
Not surprisingly it was the irrepressible Soromon who scored the Wairarapa United third goal after making full use of space created for him and not long afterwards Tvaroh and Spierling engineered an attack which ended with Soromon scoring again, his 28th goal of the club season.
From then on all Maycenvale United could so was save the embarrassment of any further scoring and that they managed to do although both Rabo and Soromon came within centimetres of adding to their team's total in separate raids.
This was a match in which all members of the Wairarapa United squad could feel well pleased with their efforts but if individuals had to be singled out
for special mention Tvaroh and Soromon would have to be at the head of the list.
Tvaroh's coolness and ability to be in the right place at the right time made him the star of a Wairarapa United midfield which clearly outplayed their much-vaunted Maycenvale United counterparts.
He was top value on attack and defence.
Soromon tormented the Maycenvale United defence with his speed and silky ball skills and he was running as strongly at the end of the game as he was at the start of it.
That magnificent first goal would have been enough to ensure Shailer a plus mark but he did a lot more than that, defending stoutly and showing real urgency when linking with his midfield on attack.
The solidity of Waisake Sabutu in defence and Pita Rabo's willingness to be the ideal foil for Soromon on attack made them major contributors too in what was a truly spectacular team effort.