Future bright for Heartland teens

Heartland Wairarapa goalkeeper Sam Martin's desperate dive isn't enough to stop WaiBop's 91st minute strike finding its target. PHOTO/CHRIS KILFORD

HEARTLAND Wairarapa coach Paul Ifill took plenty of positives away from his team's 3-2 loss to Waikato-Bay of Plenty in their national youth league football played at Memorial Park in Masterton, last weekend.

With WaiBop in the top five on the competition table Wairarapa assumed their usual underdog status but gave every bit as good as they received in a match which saw them hold a 2-0 lead late into the first half, strikers Josh McMenamin and Michael McCutcheon providing the finish to a couple of excellent attacking raids.

They then conceded a goal just before the break and another not long after it to make it 2-all with WaiBop coming up with the winner in the 91st minute.

While disappointed to come away with no points after competing so strongly, Ifill is firm in his belief that Wairarapa played the better style of football, and consequently deserved a better result.

"We moved the ball around a lot more than they did. They were more inclined to rely on the long ball when going forward.

"I guess the end result says it worked for them but personally I'm rapt we focused on operating more as a team, after all that's how these young lads are going to develop their skills."

Talking of young the Wairarapa's back four must have been one of the most youthful ever fielded in this league which is aimed at players 20 years and under.

It contained one 15-year-old, one 16-year-old and a couple of 17-year-olds and Ifill was delighted with the way they rose to the occasion.

"There was a little bit of naivety in the defence at times but overall they were excellent, the commitment was outstanding. Imagine how good they'll be in a couple of years time."

Meanwhile, defending champions Nelson Marlborough Falcons brought the winning run of leaders Team Wellington to an end in Nelson on Sunday.

The hosts took a 3-1 victory over the visitors at Trafalgar Park, halting Team Wellington's impressive six-game winning streak in the process.

Max Winterton put Nelson ahead in the 38th minute and Riley Haymes made it 2-0 with 25 minutes to go.

One of the league's leading scorers through eight rounds, Finn Moore grabbed his seventh of the season to pull one back for Team Wellington, but Winterton ended the doubt with an 88th minute strike for the final margin.

The result still has Team Wellington at the top of the pile but only on goal difference after Waitakere claimed a 3-2 win over the Wellington Phoenix on Saturday at Ngahue Reserve in Auckland.

The hosts came from a goal down after Gianni Bouzoukis opened the scoring for the Phoenix three minutes before halftime but early goals in the second half from Nick Sugden and Jake Porter had Waitakere ahead.

Bouzoukis responded again in the 83rd minute -- taking his league-best goal tally to 10 -- but Judd Baker's 90th minute winner clinched Waitakere's fifth straight victory.

Canterbury United occupy third place, a point behind the top two after an emphatic 5-0 win over Southern United at ASB Football Park in Christchurch.

The hosts were four goals to the good by halftime thanks to scoring contributions from Abdul Khalifa, Sho Mathieson, Ryan Stanley and Renta Yamamoto.

Khalifa's second of the day inside the first 10 minutes of the second half completed the scoring.

Auckland City FC hold seventh spot after their resounding 5-0 win over Hawke's Bay United at Seddon Fields in Auckland on Sunday.

First half goals from Myer Bevan -- from the penalty spot -- and George Debenham had Auckland City ahead at the break before Nicolas Zambrano, Regont Murati and Bevan completed the misery for the league's bottom side, yet to register a point in the competition.

Auckland United moved into eighth place with a 4-0 result over Manawatu United at Centre Park in Mangere.

Two goals in quick succession in each half paved the way for the win for the hosts with Jaiden van der Heijden and Charlie Thomas on target in the first period while substitutes Paora Porter and Mohammed Haj combined to strike in the second half.

Heartland Wairarapa meet Wellington Phoenix at Petone on Saturday.