Vital games ahead for Wairarapa

The next four days could have a huge effect on Marquis Wairarapa United's prospects of claiming their first central league football title.

For while the 2012 season is still very much in its infancy, wins for them over Western Suburbs in Whitby today and Petone in Carterton on Saturday would clearly make them ones to beat in the championship race.

And, conversely, two losses would leave them in the middle of the pack and contemplating a long, hard battle to make up the lost ground.

Come the start of this season neither Wests nor Petone were seen as likely frontrunners for the central league crown but how things have changed in that regard.

Currently they are sharing the competition lead on the maximum 6pts, Wests having followed a handsome 4-1 win over Wellington United with a 5-0 thumping of Maycenvale United and Petone edging out Napier City Rovers 3-2 and defending champions Miramar Rangers 1-0.

Wairarapa United, for their part, are in second place with Olympic on 4pts. Those two sides drew 3-3 when they met in the first round and recorded wins in the second, Wairarapa United 1-0 over Napier City Rovers and Olympic 4-2 over Tawa.

In neither of their games to date have Wairarapa United been as clinical as they would like, especially against Olympic when they gave up a 3-1 lead going into the closing stages of the match.

But when you consider they won't have the services of five of their new recruits - Team Wellington's Tim Schaeffers, Phil Imray and Darren Cheriton, Fijian Esava Naqeleca and Brian Kaltack from Vanuatu - until after this weekend at the earliest you can surely take it for granted the best is still to come.

Be that as it may, however, Wairarapa United have to get past Wests and Petone without those players and for today's clash with Wests it seems almost certain that coach Phil Keinzley will stay with the same starting line-up as utilised against Napier City Rovers.

The only possible change would be in midfield where Miroslav Tvaroh returns from suspension but the likelihood is he will start on the reserves bench and be introduced into the action after halftime.

The fact Wests already have nine goals to their credit this season suggests they are a side who will place the emphasis on attack and, with that in mind, Wairarapa United will need to be more proficient in their passing than they were on Saturday when ball too often didn't find the target.

Indeed most of NCR's most dangerous raids came through intercepts rather than their own making.

Wairarapa United will also be wanting greater accuracy in their finishing work.

The one goal they managed against NCR came from a brilliant solo effort by striker Seule Soromon and was enough to earn them maximum points but, in reality, they should have had at least a couple more.