The final scoreline did not tell the whole story as Wairarapa United opened their Capital division one men's soccer campaign with a 3-1 win over Lower Hutt at Howard Booth Park, Carterton on Saturday. Two goals late in the game sealed victory for Wairarapa United but earlier they had wasted somany prime scoring opportunities that their winning margin should probably have been double what it was. "It should have been all over by halftime???we could have three or four goals up by then," coach Phil Keinzley said. As it was the two teams were locked together at 1-1 at the interval with Andrew Taylor having scored from the penalty spot for Wairarapa United after Lai Gataurua had been brought down and Lower Hutt equalising, also through a penalty, late in the spell. The first 10 minutes of the second half saw Lower Hutt take the game to Wairarapa United and only some tight defence kept them at bay. A couple of substitutions made by Keinzley seemed to rev life back into the home team and they again took control but it was not until the closing stages that they regained the lead. Their second goal was scored by Murray Burling after he had eluded at least three defenders and the third almost on fulltime when Carl Shailer and Pita Rabo combined and Rabo's shot rebounded off the post. There to collect the ball was Troy Burling and he slotted it home. It was the defensive play of his team which pleased Keinzley most. Players like Taylor, Paul Watkinson and Evan Shailer stayed cool under pressure and generally cleared the ball accurately. Attacking-wise Wairarapa United created any number of scoring chances but lacked cohesion in their forward line with Keinzley putting this down to frustration as much as anything else. "The more opportunities we wasted the more frustrated we got???..hitting the posts three times didn't help," he said. Keinzley said his team could take confidence, however, from the fact they had scored a two-goal win over a Lower Hutt side expected to be a leading contender for division one honours without playing to anything like their full potential. "We know there is better to come," he said.
