United's coach already plotting 2013 campaign

There will be no intensive post mortems after Wairarapa United's 2-1 defeat by Napier City Rovers in their crucial Central League football match at Park Island in Napier on Sunday.

While coach Phil Keinzley was "absolutely gutted" by the loss which ended any hopes Wairarapa United had of winning the league title for the first time, he was more interested in looking forward to how the ultimate objective could be achieved in 2013.

And foremost in his mind is the need to introduce some talented young blood into a side to provide the spark which has been noticeably missing as this season nears its completion, and other leading contenders just as noticeably upped the ante.

"Quite honestly I have to take most of the blame myself," the typically forthright Keinzley said of his side's disappointing finish which saw them drop vital points to Lower Hutt City and Napier City Rovers in their last two games. "I didn't recognise soon enough that we had lost some of that zip which had served us so well in the past, we got away with it for a fair while but it hurt us when it mattered most."

Having said that Keinzley is quick to emphasise he is not pointing the finger at any particular players for a lack of effort. "There will always be games where the odd player has an off day but generally everybody was out there doing their best ... at the end of the day we only lost three out of 18 games and that's not too bad, is it?"

If past history is anything to go by Keinzley will mostly look to the Pacific Islands to boost Wairarapa United's playing resources and the fact he intends to be a spectator at the Solomon Islands v New Zealand fixture in a couple of weeks does nothing to suggest otherwise.

However, he is quick to emphasise any talented youngster resident in the region will be given every chance to prove they can measure up to Central League standards, and he used Wairarapa College pupil Ben Ravenwood as an example. He was included on the reserves bench for the Napier City Rovers match on Sunday and made a decent impression when he joined the action in the second half.

"I would love to have two or three Bens in our squad, it would be great for us and it would be great for the development of Wairarapa football as a whole," Keinzley said. "Central League is a tough environment but young guys with the right type of skill base and attitude can handle it, it's just a matter of giving them plenty of encouragement and they will do the job for you."

Just who will win the Central League title for 2012 might not be known for a couple of weeks yet.

Wellington Olympic and Wairarapa United, who have both completed their 18 games, sit atop the points table with 37 points, followed by Napier City Rovers who have 36 with one game in hand and Miramar Rangers who have 34 with two games in hand. Each win is worth three points.

The likelihood of either Olympic or Wairarapa United remaining where they are is scant and even if they did Wairarapa United would finish second on goal differential, Olympic being on plus 20 and Wairarapa United on plus 17.

For Keinzley it is defending champions Miramar Rangers who have the inside running. He expects them to end Napier City Rovers' challenge by beating them in Napier this weekend and to wrap up the title when they play Lower Hutt City at home on September 8.

Lower Hutt City were trounced 6-1 by Central United in the Chatham Cup final on Sunday and with no chance of them winning the Central League Keinzley believes their focus might not be all it should be against a Miramar Rangers side desperate for victory.

Reflecting on Sunday's loss to Napier City Rovers, Keinzley said it was simply a case of Wairarapa United not having enough penetration in their attack. Despite dominating the first half in territory and possession the score was 1-1 at halftime - City Rovers netting from a penalty and Paul Ryder scoring for Wairarapa United - and while the second spell was more evenly contested it was the home side who managed the only goal.

"Looking back we created enough chances to win and didn't take them, and really you can't blame anybody but yourself when that happens."