United start hot favourites

MILESTONES: Matt Borren and Nathan Cooksley have given Wairarapa grand service over the past few seasons and will be keen to make their mark.

GOALKEEPER Matt Borren and defender Nathan Cooksley will make their 100th appearances for Wairarapa United in their Central League football match with Tawa at Memorial Park, Masterton, tomorrow.

While games at this level always have at least a tinge of uncertainty about them, bare stats suggest Wairarapa United must start hot favourites to celebrate the occasion in style.

Whereas Tawa sit at the bottom of the points table with the one win and one draw from their 15 matches, Wairarapa United are third with a much more impressive record of 10 wins, two draws and three losses,

What's more there is a country mile between the two sides in the goal-scoring stakes, Tawa having netted just 11 times while Wairarapa United have found the back of the net on 44 occasions.

It's a similar story in goals conceded; Tawa having had 47 goals scored against them compared with Wairarapa United's 26.

This then should be an ideal opportunity for Wairarapa United to demonstrate their attacking qualities. The more ball they can put in the path of proven goal-scorers like Hamish Watson, Magno Viera, Sam Mason-Smith, Seule Soromon and Paul Ifill the better. Their combined skills should ensure the scoreboard keeps ticking over on a regular basis.

With an eye to their game against second-placed Western Suburbs next weekend, it will be important too that the Wairarapa United defence is up to scratch. Here centurians Cooksley and Borren will be vital components.

They have given Wairarapa United grand service over the past few seasons and they will be keen to make their mark in such a significant match for them personally.

The Central League fixture will kick off at 5.30pm.

Douglas Villa will be desperate for a win in their Capital second division match with Upper Hutt City at Maidstone Park tomorrow.

Douglas Villa are ninth on the competition ladder and Upper Hutt City are the only team below them in 10th position. Just a solitary point separates them so a loss to Douglas Villa here and they would find themselves at the bottom of the heap.

In Capital third division play on Sunday, the Wairarapa United seconds will host Petone Fourths at Memorial Park, Masterton, at 3pm.

Wairarapa United are fourth on the points table, just three off the lead, and will need to win if they are to maintain their challenge for the top spot. Petone Fourths are no easy beats though.

They are sixth on the table and have performed well against higher placed opposition in the past.

Capital fourth division games will be played tomorrow with Property Law Services Masterton doing battle with Tawa Bulldogs at the Ole Academy. Masterton are fourth on the points table and Tawa Bulldogs eighth so Masterton should have the edge.

The Wairarapa United women's team have already sealed the Capital division one championship and have now gone a remarkable 33 league games without defeat.

Their season will draw to a close when they play Island Bay Sharkettes at Memorial Park, Masterton, on Sunday in a game starting at 1pm. Island Bay Sharkettes have shown useful form and sit fourth on the competition ladder but it's hard to imagine them footing it with a Wairarapa United side likely to maintain their habit of decisive winning margins.