Wai United back on track with win

Wairarapa United got their Wellington premier division soccer campaign back on track with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Kapiti Coast in a physical encounter at the Colin Pugh Sports Bowl in Masterton on Saturday.
The win halted their slide down the leader table, after consecutive losses ruined their promising start, and lifted them to fifth place only four points adrift of leaders Petone, who drew at home with second placed Island Bay.
However, the match again highlighted the frailties in Wairarapa's defence that have seen them concede eight goals in three weeks.
On both occasions the visitors found the back net the defensive line was caught off-guard or out of position, handing their opponents an attacking invitation.
But to the home sides credit, they showed enough composure to reverse the recent trend and move passed the mistakes to nail home a match winner with less than 20 minutes to go.
Wairarapa looked the best team for most of the match and certainly created the better chances with Andy Robertson producing his best performance of the season up front.
And it was he who opened the scoring following some brilliant lead-up work by Sakeo Valevou who put Mireck Tvaroh in space behind the defence.
Tvaroh in turn found Pita Rabo looming on the inside who slipped a pass to Robertson to finish off from close range.
Kapiti struck back within minutes from a quickly taken free kick to send the teams to the sheds locked up at 1-1.
After the break the pattern continued when Valevou sent a ball through for player/coach Rabo to incisively slot home only for the visitors to again immediately equalise, this time from a bungled corner clearance.
Moments later young midfielder Anton Ross completed a match-winning sweeping movement as the side regained its composure to finally close out a match.
"For a while it was like here we go again, but the guys showed a lot of character to keep their heads and hold onto the ball and play until then end," team spokesman Phil Keinzley said.
"Kapiti were a good team, they were much better than I'd expected so it was a good confidence booster for the boys.
"It was very physical out there, but both teams produced some pretty high quality football at times and the goals were as good as you'll see really."
However, while the attacking aspect is in good stead, there is still plenty to fix at the back, Keinzley said.
"It's about the mental concentration and just knowing when the right time take-off up the field and when to stay back, especially when you have a goal up your sleeve already.
"We'll be putting a lot more work in that area because you can't expect to win many games if you keeping handing goals over like we seem to be doing."
Wairarapa are at home to bottom of the table Brooklyn next week in what shapes as a must win match ahead of a tricky three-week away schedule.