Football: Havelock North Wanderers come crashing down to earth with thud at Karori Park

Gagame Feni, 27, was the only one to find the net for the Wanderers today and maintains his record of having scored in all three games he has played so far for the villagers. Photo/Warren Buckland

Waterside Karori brought Havelock North Wanderers down to earth with a thud in Wellington today.

The Integration Works-sponsored side beat the Building King-sponsored Wanderers 4-1 at Karori Park to register their first victory in their Ultra Football Central League soccer match this afternoon .

It was again a reminder, not just to the villagers but all teams how competitive the league is going to be this winter after Miramar Rangers pipped defending champions Advanced Electrical Western Suburbs 1-0 as well today.

Coming off a high in humbling Wairarapa United 6-2 at Guthrie Park, Havelock North, on Wednesday, the Wanderers found it tough in attempting to open a six-point margin over the last-placed Karori, before they had kicked off at 2.30pm.

"To beat a better side one day and then get beat three days later is, I guess, football so that's why we keep coming back for more because I suppose we're addicted to it," said a disappointed Havelock North player/coach Chris Greatholder.

Greatholder said in the context of the big league it was crippling to lose three points to Karori who have jumped back to second last position on the table on goal difference to push the Wanderers back to the last rung.

The hosts scored through Luk Saker in the 39th minute before an arm wrestle ensued for about 80 minutes.

But it was Karori who went up 3-0 from a Sam Collier goal in the 81st minute before the visitors conceded an own goal five minutes later.

Solomon Islands striker Gagame Feni continued his form with a goal in all three games he has played in with an 88th-minute deposit that saw Havelock North peg it back to 3-1.
However, Jarrod Stant had the last say with an 89th-minute goal.

Centre-mid Greatholder put it down to a "tough day at the office" before his troops boarded their bus home.

"They played us direct and had a better team to put us under a lot of pressure so they deserved their win, there's no doubts about that," he said.

The Wanderers were definitely not the side they were in their Anzac Day outing but he felt it showed where his men were and what standards they had to aspire to to meet those of the league.

Karori were a "brand new" outfit who employed a different formation and shape.
"It really didn't matter what they were last year. They were good, energetic and pressed us well to put us under pressure to score at key times."

Karori won promotion to Central League last September as the Capital League champions when they beat Central Federation League counterparts Havelock North on away-goals rules after both sides wona game each.

Greatholder said Havelock North defended well individually but weren't cohesive enough to keep Karori at bay.

Havelock North Wanderers are out to turn their home ground, Guthrie Park, into a fortress to secure points to stave off relegation in the Central League. Photo/Warren Buckland

However, he was loath to make excuses on a day his players didn't turn up at the park, as it were.

"We learned a little bit more but we just weren't there today," he said, echoing the sentiments of losing Wairarapa player/coach Paul Ifill on Wednesday. "We tried hard and worked hard but the quality just wasn't there today."

Havelock North will host table-topping Thirsty Whale Napier City Rovers at Guthrie Park in the Hawke's Bay derby on Sunday next week.

"All we've got to do is really turn the scores around at home because we're expected go away from home to win and it's tough for the oppositions to [come to Guthrie Park] to win," Greatholder said, adding Guthrie park should be a fortress for the blue and golds.

The Bill Robertson-coached Blues host Wellington United in a 2pm kick off at Bluewater Stadium, Park Island, tomorrow.