Wairarapa United collect second Wellington scalp

Wairarapa United were excellent value for their 2-0 win over Wellington United in the Chatham Cup third round soccer match played at the Pugh Sportsbowl, Masterton yesterday.
It was the second central league scalp for the local team in as many Cup fixtures this season, following that against Stop Out last month, and the margin between the two sides at the final whistle fairly reflected their merits.
In fact it could be argued with some justification that, if anything, Wairarapa United deserved more than their two goals as whereas they created a number of prime scoring opportunities through the course of the 90 minutes Wellington United very seldom threatened to pierce the Wairarapa United defence.
The match was just a few minutes old when Wairarapa United pressed forward on attack and Pita Rabo and Mirek Tvaroh combined to give Rabo the first scoring chance.
That was to be the first of a series of likely-looking Wairarapa United attacks during the opening stazas where they had a considerable advantage in both territory and possession.
Wellington United did briefly threaten when they split the midfield and Wairarapa United goalkeeper Tony Jamieson was momentarily caught out of position but the danger was cleared by the quick-thinking James Oxtoby.
With Tvaroh, Guiseppe Cagliari and Carl Shailer providing superb service to front runners Rabo and Andy Robertson, Wairarapa United continued to dominate the action and Wellington United's highly-rated goalkeeper Nick Tarrant was constantly kept on his toes.
Despite's Tarrant's best efforts though it seemed only a matter of time before the locals would get their noses in front on the scoreboard and so it proved, Cagliari scoring after a free kick from Petero Dauniseka produced a melee in front of the goal, Cagliari pouncing when the ball rebounded away from Tarrant's grasp.
A second goal for Wairarapa United went begging when Robertson lost control of possession with Tarrant beaten and Rabo also had the defence in tatters when he was tripped from behind, Wellington United managing to clear from the resultant penalty.
At halftime then Wairarapa United led 1-0, not enough to guarantee them victory but a handy advantage all the same over a Wellington United side struggling to get any continuity into their attacks and surprisingly tentative on defence.
The second spell started much the way the first had ended with Wairarapa United substitute Lai Gataurua making his presence felt in an attacking sense twice in as many minutes.
It was the defensive skills of fullback Petero Dauniseka who provided the impetus for Wairarapa United's second goal. He robbed a Wellington United attacker of the ball and made good ground before linking with Gataurua and Anton Ross who finished the movement off in fine style Wairarapa United 2, Wellington United 0
Stung by this setback Wellington United had their best period of the game, their midfield and forwards linking well to test the Wairarapa United defence.
But with goalkeeper Jamieson calling the shots the latter held firm and the frustration borne by their lack of penetration all too often saw the Wellington United attacks break down through rushed passing and poor ball control.
Wairarapa United, on the other hand, seemed only mildly interested in seeking further goals with the emphasis for them being on protecting their lead .
However, they still opened up the Wellington United defence on occasions, usually through the acceleration of Gataurua or the youthful enthusiasm of the likes of Ross or Aaron Spierling, who were only too willing to chase down every ball which came within several metres of them.
Perhaps Wellington United's best scoring chance came in the closing minutes when their striker failed to latch onto a pass with the goal open but it was appropriate that it should be the home team pressing forward as the final whistle sounded.
Individually, there were many stars for Wairarapa United with the calmness and ball skills of Dauniseka a particular highlight, along with the non-compromising attitude of Tvarah and Cagliari on both attack and defence and the ability of Rabo and Gataurua to make room for themselves even when seemingly trapped in a confined space.
Making the effort even more meritorious, of course, was that just 48 hours earlier Wairarapa United had played a key Capital Soccer premier division match with Island Bay United, a game which ended in a 1-1 all draw and saw Wairarapa United maintain their second placing in that competition.
Fears were that the energy expended in that game could take its toll yesterday but, if it did, it didn't show, a measure of the character and resolve which has become a hallmark of the Wairarapa United 2007 squad.
What they await now is the name of their rivals in the fourth round of the Chatham Cup, and the venue where that match will be played.
Obviously the opposition will get even tougher from hereon in but in their current form who's to say another upset or two is outside their compass.