Roydhouse's return gives United a lift

EXCELLENT FORM: Nick Roydhouse will be available for the next six games.PHOTO/FILE

The unexpected return of Nick Roydhouse is a huge boost for Wairarapa United for the remainder of their Central League football campaign.

The consistently outstanding form of midfielder Roydhouse had been the high point of the Wairarapa United season until he withdrew from the squad about a month ago to head back to the United States but those plans are now on hold and he will be available for the six games which will complete their league programme.

No Central League matches are scheduled for this weekend because of the clash with numerous Chatham Cup third round fixtures and with Wairarapa United having been eliminated by Upper Hutt City on Queen's Birthday Monday they have the weekend off.

Their next outing is against league leaders Miramar Rangers but where it will be played nobody can yet say.

It was to be at Queen Elizabeth Park oval in Masterton but if the Masterton District Council cannot be persuaded to overturn a decision to close that ground to football it will be transferred to Maidstone Park in Upper Hutt, as will other scheduled home games against Palmerston North Marist (June 29), Western Suburbs (July 13), Napier City Rovers (July 27) and Tawa (August 10).

Not only would playing their home games outside Wairarapa be a blow for the United players so it would for the big band of loyal supporters who have turned up to the park oval in droves to support their side.

It would also see the club having to fork out a decent three-figure sum for use of the artificial surface at Maidstone Park.

Capital second and third division matches will continue tomorrow.

In second division, Douglas Villa will play Victoria University at Kelburn Park and Wairarapa United seconds will take on Western Suburbs at Endeavour Park. Western Suburbs head the competition table with the maximum 27 points while Douglas Villa are seventh with 11, Wairarapa United eighth with 10 and Victoria University ninth with five.

In third division, White Swan Greytown and Property Law Services Masterton will be aiming to move themselves away from the bottom of the points table. They are ninth and 10th respectively. Greytown will be up against third-placed Petone at Greytown (start time 2.30pm) and Masterton will play fourth-placed Petone Armanis at Petone.