Wairarapa United change tack

Wairarapa United football coach Phil Keinzley says the focus of his team has changed.
A couple of weeks back Keinzley was intent on having Wairarapa United pay equal attention to their central league and Chatham Cup campaigns but events since then sees the Chatham Cup at the top of the priority list.
Their 1-1 draw with cellar dwellers Palmerston North Marist at Queen Elizabeth Park oval in Masterton on Saturday left Wairarapa United six points behind pacesetters Miramar Rangers on the central league table. They now require an unbeaten run plus a host of other results to go their way, to be a serious title hope.
"No, we're not out of it yet but it's clearly a bigger challenge than it was," Keinzley said of his team's league aspirations.
"We haven't given up hope but a lot of things would need to happen for us to get back into the fight."
A 2-1 victory over Maycenvale United on Saturday took Miramar Rangers to 23 points on the league table, five ahead of Olympic on 18. Wairarapa United have 17, followed by Napier City Rovers, Lower Hutt City and Western Suburbs all 16, Petone 15, Tawa 12, Maycenvale United 11 and Palmerston North 7.
Interestingly enough, Miramar Rangers are already out of the Chatham Cup.
Last year's winners were unceremoniously dumped by a crushing 5-0 by Napier City Rovers in a second round fixture, on the same day Wairarapa United secured a 2-1 win over Lower Hutt City to also advance to round three.
Wairarapa United's next Cup opponent is Red Sox Manawatu, at Memorial Park, Palmerston North this Sunday.
Rex Sox play at least a couple of divisions below Wairarapa United in the western division series, where they share the competition lead with the Palmerston North Boys' High first XI, both sides having won eight and lost two of their 10 matches.
That Wairarapa United should account comfortably for a team of Rex Sox's stature goes without saying but Keinzley has been around football long enough to know the underdog can never be underestimated.
"You always worry about games like this. If you start thinking you've got it won that's when things can go sour."
Making Keinzley even more nervous is the inconsistency of Wairarapa United's form through most of the 2011 season with a failure to make the most of prime scoring chances and a tendency to "leak" soft goals often marring their play.
"On our day we can beat virtually anyone but we can also be our own worst enemies.
"We simply haven't been consistent enough to be too confident about anything."
Douglas Villa moved to a clear third on the Capital third division points table after their 5-2 beating of Marist at the Park Sportsground on Saturday.
Paekakariki have 20 points with Petone Armanis on 19, Douglas Villa 16, Lower Hutt City 14, Island Bay United and North Wellington 13, Karori Barcodes 10, Marist 9, Petone 7 and Kapiti Coast United 4.
Local league football results on Saturday were:
Knockout Cup: Carterton Redbacks 3, Douglas Villa Hasbeens 1; Carterton Skulls 5, Greytown White Swan 3; Masterton Trevs Sports Athletic 3, Greytown A1 Homes 1; Douglas Villa Good Beginnings 5, Masterton McAuleys 2. Plate: Evergreens 5, Masterton Farmlands Presidents 0; Masterton-Gladstone Lions 4, Carterton Shoe Clinic Social 2; Douglas Villa Laser Electrical 4, Wairarapa Funeral Services 3; Greytown Turkey Red 5, Masterton Pacific United 1.