Tried and true for United

Wairarapa United will be relying on a tried and true formula to produce a victory over Hastings-based Maycenvale United in the first of their central league playoff soccer matches to be held at the Pugh Sports Bowl in Masterton on Sunday.
An attacking philosophy took Wairarapa United to their first-ever Capital Soccer premier division title this season and coach Phil Keinzley sees no reason to change this coming weekend.
"We are a team which plays our best soccer when the focus is on taking the game to the opposition and we'll be aiming to do that again, " he said. "It's not risk free but it's what suits us so why try something else."
With the series against the powerful Maycenvale United side being home and away with the winner being decided on goal aggregate, Keinzley is, not surprisingly, very keen for his team to travel to Hastings for the return match with at least a couple of goals up their sleeves.
"You want to be the chased not the chaser in this type of competition," he said. "Whoever is trailing going into the second match is under more pressure and obviously we'd prefer not to be in that situation."
Having watched Maycenvale dismantle a powerful Palmerston North Red Sox combination 5-1 in Palmerston North last weekend Keinzley has huge respect for them but he believes a Wairarapa United side playing to their potential can produce a positive result.
"It's going to be as big an ask for us as we had all season but with the team playing well and a big crowd behind us we can do it, I'm sure of that," he said.
Keinzley sees the battle of the midfield being a key aspect of Sunday's game. Maycenvale United were very strong there , both physically and skills-wise, against Red Sox but Wairarapa United are also well equipped in that area, led as they are by the rugged Miriek Tvaroh and the outstanding playmaker Pita Rabo They both impressed enough in their premier division campaign to make Team Wellington's national league extended training squad.
"The midfield is so vital both on attack and defence," Keinzley said. "It's all about closing down the opposition before they work up a full head of steam while at the same time distributing quality possession to your own front runners & the margin of error isn't big in either respect," he said. "If a side dominates the midfield they usually win the game, simple as that."
Tvaroh and Rabo are two of five Wairarapa United players who have earned selection in national league extended training squads this season , Carl Shailer and Seule Soromon joining them with Wellington and Matt Borren making the Manawatu squad.
Fullback Shailer and goalkeeper Borren are integral parts of the Wairarapa United defence ,with Shailer's speed also making him a constant threat on the counter attack, while Soromon's ability at striker to turn even half-chances into goals has made the Vanuatu international something of a "rock star" on the local sporting scene.
He has scored 26 goals so far this season, a Wairarapa United record which he will he need to advance over the next month or so if central league status is to move from a dream to a reality.
Sunday's match will complete a hectic week for young Rathkeale College student Kota Maeno who over that period will have represented his college at the Trident Trophy national secondary schools tourney, the Wairarapa United seconds in a Capital division three match on Saturday and the Wairarapa United under-19s in an Ivor England Trophy match on Sunday morning. He will start on the reserve bench against Maycenvale United but is also likely to get some game time there.
Keinzley said Maeno's commitment was a shining example to those who often questioned the stickability of today's youngsters. "He's never complained, he just gets out there and gives his best every time," he said.