United piles on pressure

Their 3-0 win over Lower Hutt City at Howard Booth Park on Saturday didn't guarantee Wairarapa United the Capital premier division title but it's certainly put the pressure on the only team who can deprive them of that honour, Tawa.
With their latest game against Waterside-Karori cancelled because of poor ground conditions Tawa were left on 26pts with four matches to play while Wairarapa United climbed to 34 pts with two matches to play, both of them against Marist, who sit second to bottom on the points table.
What this means is that if Wairarapa United beat Marist twice, or even manage a win and a draw, they are home and hosed while Tawa must win all of their last four games and depend on Wairarapa United tripping up at the last two hurdles.
It's a situation which pleases Wairarapa United coach Phil Keinzley but, at the same time, he is still taking nothing for granted.
"Obviously we have the inside running right now but they (Tawa) are a very good side and we can't count them out," he said.
"The focus for us has to be on two more wins, we can't be headed if we do that."
Two goals in the first 20 minutes, the first of them a 30m "rocket" from Sakeo Valevou and the second a similar effort from Carl Shailer, were an early boost to confidence for Wairarapa United against Lower Hutt City although coach Keinzley was not over impressed with their first half performance.
"We looked a bit tired at nervous at times, there wasn't quite the enthusiasm we wanted," he said.
The second half display, however, saw greater control and direction and while a goal to Aaron Spierling was the only scoring action of that spell Wairarapa United created a number of scoring chances.
Substitute Kota Maeno set up many of these when he came off the reserve bench and made a huge impact on attack while others to shine were midfielders Miriek Tvaroh and Pita Rabo.