URGENCY will be a key word for Keinzley Agvet Wairarapa United going into their Chatham Cup fourth round match with Western Suburbs at Memorial Park, Masterton, tonight.
Any repeat of the hot and cold effort which gave them a 3-0 victory over Island Bay United in the most recent of their cup games would simply not be good enough against the calibre of opposition they will meet on this occasion.
Not that the Wairarapa United camp should need any reminding of that. After all, it was Western Suburbs who prevailed 5-3 in their only meeting thus far in the Central League series and the points table has Western Suburbs sitting second behind Napier City Rovers on 25 points and Wairarapa United - who have a game in hand - third on 24. There is also little between them on other stats; Western Suburbs having scored 33 goals and conceded 18 and Wairarapa United having scored 31 goals and conceded 21.
They both suffered upset losses in league games last weekend; Western Suburbs losing 2-1 to Wellington Olympic and Wairarapa United going down 4-3 to Petone. They now lie eight and nine points respectively behind Napier City Rovers so you'd have to think that if they are to pick up a trophy of any consequence in 2015 the Chatham Cup is now their best hope.
The loss to Petone was something of a double blow for Wairarapa United as, during the course of the game, they had three players sent from the field, Aaron Spierling for what, from all accounts, was a harshly judged red card offence and Fidell Richards and Nathan Cooksley, for being yellow carded twice. These three will now miss tonight's game and while the depth in the Wairarapa United squad is great enough to cope, it goes without saying they would be better off if they were available for selection.