Wairarapa United fall short

Frustrated would hardly do justice to the way Trust House Wairarapa United coach Phil Keinzley was feeling after his team's 2-1 defeat by Miramar Rangers in their crucial central league football match played at Queen Elizabeth Park oval in Masterton on Sunday.
It wasn't that loss Wairarapa United dropped three points behind Miramar Rangers at the top of the competition ladder, which peeved Keinzley the most, or the fact they dominated the scoreless second half to the extent that at least "two or three" more goals should have been scored.
Rather it was a couple of incidents which happened even before the two teams took the field of play which had the coach in a cold sweat.
First was the news that skipper Pita Rabo had played for the Wairarapa United seconds the previous day, scoring a hattrick in their 4-2 Capital fourth division victory over Island Bay HH but injured his knee in the process.
Making matters worse, one of the side's most reliable defenders, Scott Robson, had a recurrence of an ankle injury in the warm-ups and was forced to withdraw.
Keinzley couldn't fault Rabo's loyalty to his club in agreeing to fill in for a Wairarapa United seconds side who were so short of players they played about half their game with 10 men after Blair Thompson went down with a hamstring strain.
But he said it was "very naive" for him to do so just 24 hours before such an important central league game because of the fitness issues it could create. The main hassle with the late withdrawal of Robson was the need to change Wairarapa United's game plan and Keinzley said he believes their slow start, which saw them concede two goals inside the opening 20 minutes, was in large part because of the players struggling to come to terms with what was required of them as a unit.
"We really did take most of the first half to settle into any sort of rhythm and, in the end, I suppose you could say that was the winning and losing of the game," he said. "We let them dictate and when you allow a team of that calibre to do that you are always going to be in trouble ... and we were."
Wairarapa United's second half effort was a revelation, with the bulk of the 45 minutes seeing them on hot attack deep inside Miramar Rangers territory.
"We talked a lot at the break about battling harder for the 50-50 ball, of being more aggressive in the way we contested possession," Keinzley said. "But I must say I was amazed about how dominant we became, I don't think anybody expected that".
Unfortunately, Wairarapa United could not turn that dominance into goals with Keinzley adamant that, while Miramar Rangers were determined scramblers on defence, it was the home team's habit of losing composure when it counted most which stopped them from scoring.
"You can't hide the fact that our finishing work wasn't as clinical as it should have been, that we set up a number of prime scoring chances and came away with nothing to show for them. We played a hell of a lot of good football but we didn't score and you'd have to say that was disappointing."
In other central league matches played during the weekend, Olympic beat Palmerston North Marist 5-2, Napier City Rovers accounted for Lower Hutt City 2-0, Petone and Maycenvale United drew 1-1 and Wests beat Tawa 1-0.
Competition points are: Miramar Rangers 18, Wairarapa United and Wests 15, Olympic 14, Lower Hutt City 11, Tawa 10, Napier City Rovers 9, Petone 8, Maycenvale United 7 and Palmerston North Marist 6.
Wairarapa United have an away game against Maycenvale United this coming Sunday and, while they still start firm favourites, Keinzley is quick to say that Maycenvale have already performed well against some of the higher-placed sides and can't be taken lightly.
Douglas Villa bounced back to winning form in the Capital third division series on Saturday, thrashing Petone 8-0. Coach Ricky Riddell said Douglas Villa had been struggling with their finishing work in recent games and were determined to score a hefty victory over a depleted Petone side.
"We wanted a heap of goals and it was nice to get them," he said.
Troy Burling scored a hattrick for Villa and was their most dangerous attacker while others to shine were Lance Gilmour and Micky Kempson.
Third division points are: Petone Armanis 16, Paekakariki 14, Island Bay United 13, Lower Hutt City 11, Douglas Villa 10, Karori Barcodes, North Wellington and Petone all 7, Marist 6 and Kapiti Coast United 4.
Wairarapa United head the Capital fourth division points table after their 4-2 win over Island Bay HHH.They sit on 19pts, followed by Karori Cougars 17, Wainuiomata 16, Lower Hutt Ancient Ones 15, University Scarfies 12, Tawa Devilz 10, island Bay HHH 9, Island Bay Massey 8, Island Bay United 5 and Brooklyn Northern 1.
Masterton Trevs Sports Athletic, Greytown White Swan and Masterton McAuleys maintained their unbeaten records in the Wairarapa championship on Saturday, Athletic beating Evergreens 6-0, White Swan beating Masterton Pacific United 7-0 and McAuleys defeating Masterton Farmlands Presidents 7-0.
Other results: Carterton Redbacks 5, Masterton-Gladstone Lions 2; Douglas Villa Good Beginnings 5, Douglas Villa Wairarapa Funeral Services 1; Douglas Villa Hasbeens 4, Carterton Shoe Clinic Social 3; Greytown A1 Homes 4, Douglas Villa Laser Electrical 2; Carterton Skulls 7, Greytown Turkey Red 0.
Wairarapa championship points are: Masterton Trevs Sports Athletic 18, Greytown White Swan 16, Masterton McAuleys 15 and Carterton Skulls 15, Greytown A1 Homes 12, Douglas Villa Good Beginnings 11, Greytown Turkey Red and Douglas Villa Hasbeens 9, Douglas Villa Laser Electrical and Masterton-Gladstone Lions 7, Carterton Shoe Clinic Social 5, Masterton Pacific United 4, Carterton Redbacks and Masterton Farmlands Presidents 3, Douglas Villa Wairarapa Funeral Services and Evergreens 0.