United aiming for century

STEP UP: The experienced Meisha Boone (left) is coaching the Wairarapa United women's team as they aim for a ton.

Wairarapa United could achieve a notable milestone in their Capital Football second division women's match against Seatoun at Howard Booth Park, Carterton, on Sunday.

Scoring goals by the absolute bucketload has been a trademark of the Wairarapa United squad in 2014 and they now need just two more to crack the 100 mark.

Re-formed this season after a lengthy break, Wairarapa United played their first eight games at third division level, winning the lot and scoring 79 goals while conceding just three.

Then promoted to second division, they have now won two from two there, the latest 8-1 victory over Paekakariki taking their goal tally in that competition to 19 with one against. Their overall record therefore stands at 10 matches, 10 wins, 98 goals for and four against.

There seems little doubt, however, that Sunday's game will be their toughest assignment thus far. Seatoun have also won two from two in the second division championship and have yet to concede a goal while scoring six themselves. From all accounts, they play a similar structured style of football to Wairarapa United and a close battle is on the cards. Kick off is at noon.

Standing in as coach of the Wairarapa United side while Phil Keinzley is watching World Cup action in Brazil is their most experienced player Meisha Boone.

On Saturday, Wairarapa United Central League men's team are up against competition leaders Miramar Rangers on the artificial turf at Maidstone Park, starting at 2.30pm. This game was originally scheduled for Queen Elizabeth Park oval in Masterton but, with the Masterton District Council decreeing no more football matches can be played there this season, Wairarapa United have not only had to forfeit the home advantage for this game but for four others to come - and it's a huge disappointment for their loyal band of supporters and sponsors.

Miramar Rangers, unbeaten in eight games this season, will undoubtedly start firm favourites against a Wairarapa United squad which has had four wins, three draws and a couple of losses but if United can replicate the outstanding form they showed during the second half of their 4-3 victory over second-placed Wellington Olympic another upset win to them certainly can't be discounted.

The four Wairarapa-based teams involved in Capital men's second division and third division play this season are all struggling to get out of the relegation zones.

In second division, Douglas Villa sits seventh of the 10 teams with 11 points and just one point behind them in eighth is Wairarapa United.

Behind them are only Victoria University (8) and Wellington Olympic (6).

Douglas Villa host Wairarapa United at their Memorial Drive headquarters on Saturday and both teams will be desperate to secure maximum points.

Kick-off is at 2.30pm and a cracker of a game is in prospect.

In third division, Property Law Services Masterton and White Swan Greytown are propping up the bottom of the points table, Masterton ninth with 10 points from nine games and Greytown 10th with seven from eight games.

This is a condensed table with just six points separating Greytown from fourth-placed North Wellington Athletic. Also easing the pressure on the two Wairarapa teams to some extent is that most other sides have played 10 matches.

Saturday's draw has Greytown at home to Marist reserves at 2.30pm and Masterton up against Waterside-Karori Magpies at Karori at 2.30pm.