United stick to winning mix

We needed to do something different to see if we could get some consistency into our game, it seemed like a risk worth taking. Phil Keinzley,
Wairarapa United coach"If it ain't broke why fix it?" That old adage will be on the mind of Wairarapa United coach Phil Keinzley when it comes to naming his side for the central league football match with Palmerston North Marist at Queen Elizabeth Park oval in Masterton this Saturday.
So pleased did Keinzley feel about United's effort in their 2-1 victory over Lower Hutt City in the Chatham Cup fixture at Lower Hutt on Monday the chances are he will stay with the same playing format and personnel.
"They say you shouldn't change a winning formula and right now that's the way I am thinking," Keinzley said yesterday.
Wairarapa United played a 4-1-4-1 format in the Cup game, which meant they had Nathan Cooksley sweeping behind the midfield and in front of the fullbacks and Adam Cowan as the sole striker.
That plan was hatched after Saturday's central league match, also against Lower Hutt City, when Wairarapa United conceded three late goals to lose 3-1 after wasting a number of prime scoring opportunities.
"We needed to do something different to see if we could get some consistency into our game, it seemed like a risk worth taking," Keinzley said. "Everything worked well, it could hardly have gone better."
Fortunately for third-placed United, Saturday's defeat did little harm to their chances of claiming their first central league title as the two teams above them, Miramar Rangers and Olympic, drew.
Miramar Rangers, who suffered a humiliating 5-0 loss to fellow central leaguers Napier City Rovers in their Chatham Cup match on Monday, now have 20 points, followed by Olympic 18, Wairarapa United and Western Suburbs 16, Lower Hutt City 15, Napier City Rovers 13, Petone 12, Tawa 11, Maycenvale 11 and Palmerston North Marist 6.
The Douglas Villa and Wairarapa United seconds teams had impressive wins in the Capital Football competition on Saturday.
Douglas Villa beat Island Bay United 4-1.
Current points are: Petone Armanis 19, Paekakariki 17, Douglas Villa and Island Bay United 13, Lower Hutt City 11, North Wellington 10, Marist 9, Kakori Barcodes and Petone 7, Kapiti Coast United 5.
Wairarapa United seconds went to a four-point lead in the fourth division with their 1-0 win over Wainuiomata who had actually beaten them earlier in the season.
Points are: Wairarapa United seconds 22, Lower Hutt Ancient Ones 18, Karori Cougars 17, Wainuiomata 16, University Scarfies 15, Island Bay United HHH 12, Tawa Devilz 10, Island Bay Massey and Island Bay United 8, Brooklyn Northern 1.
Just one point separates Masterton Trevs Sports Athletic and Carterton Skulls at the top of the Wairarapa football championship with Athletic having 22 and Skulls 21.
Then come Greytown White Swan 18, Masterton McAuleys 16, Douglas Villa Good Beginnings and Greytown A1 Homes 15, Douglas Villa Has Beens 13, Greytown Turkey Red 12, Douglas Villa Laser Electrical and Masterton-Gladstone Lions 11, Carterton Redbacks 9, Carterton Shoe Clinic Social and Masterton Pacific United 5, Douglas Villa Wairarapa Funeral Services and Masterton Farmlands Presidents 3 and Evergreens 0.