United chase double

Wairarapa United are intent on making the most of their Anzac weekend double header in the Capital division one men's soccer series..
The competition leaders play bottom-of-the-table Seatoun at Seatoun tomorrow and second-placed Western Suburbs at Howard Booth Park in Carterton on Monday.
Pick up the maximum three points from both of these games and Wairarapa United will considerably enhance their prospects of winning the first division title and, with it, automatic promotion to the premier division in 2006.
Coach Phil Keinzley is adamant that despite the very different record of the two teams Seatoun will pose every bit as stern a challenge to Wairarapa United as will Western Suburbs.
He bases this thought on the fact that Wairarapa United could be without four of their regular first choice players for tomorrow's match and that Seatoun have been a bogey team for Wairarapa United over many years.
"I don't know what it is about Seatoun but we generally always struggle against them," Keinzley said. "And the fact they have the chance to knock off the top team will only make them every more determined to keep that record going, won't it."
Doubtful starters for Wairarapa United tomorrow are the injured Murray Burling, Aaron Spierling and the Shailer cousins, Evan and Carl.
If all four happen to be missing it will mean a number of positional and personnel changes needing to be made and Keinzley is aware of the difficulties that could cause "Obvously it'll have an effect on combinations and that's never an ideal situation," he said.
Happily, the likelihood is that the quartet who might be sidelined for the Seatoun match will all be able to take the field against Western Suburbs who , like Wairarapa United, have had three wins from as many matches so far this season.
They have also each scored nine goals, but Wairarapa United holds the competition lead because they have conceded one goal to Western Suburbs's two.
Western Suburbs also face a double header this weekend with the first of their games coming in Wellington tonight and Keinzley will be on hand to get a first hand view of their strengths and weaknesses.
"Right now I don't know a lot about them, but they are one of the wealthier sides and that helps them attract a good crop of talented players," he said. "They'll be backing themselves to win the title, no doubt about that."
Keinzley believes patience could be a key to Wairarapa United toppling Western Suburbs.
"They would probably prefer a fast, open type of game so it could be to our advantage to slow things down a bit, to make sure we are very precise about everything we do," he said. "That way we could frustrate them into making mistakes and then hopefully capitalise on any openings we create."