Football
Marquis Wairarapa United have their very own "House of Pain".
Just as in days gone past when visiting provincial rugby sides feared to tread on the hallowed turf at Carisbrook in Dunedin and Lancaster Park in Christchurch, the region's premier football side have created a similar aura around Howard Booth Park, in Carterton.
Sunday's 1-1 draw with Lower Hutt City in a Central League fixture played in wintry conditions meant Wairarapa United have now gone a year without losing at that venue and, according to coach Phil Keinzley, they have lost only one match there in the last two-and-a-half years.
"I'm not sure what it is but opposition sides don't seem to like coming to Howard Booth Park. I think it might be a bit countrified for them," Keinzley said. "It's nothing fancy but it works for us... the results speak for themselves, don't they?"
Considering the first round result between the two sides was a crushing 5-1 win to Lower Hutt City, Sunday's result was clearly an improvement for Wairarapa United but it could possibly have been better as the Lower Hutt City goal which put them ahead 1-0 early in the second half drew a vocal reaction from many in the good-sized crowd sure it should have been ruled out for offside play.
That goal followed a first half in which Lower Hutt City had called the tune in the first quarter and United had evened things up in the second. Both teams created scoring chances but they failed to convert them into goals, more through tight defence than inept finishing.
It was to Wairarapa United's credit that going one goal down had the effect of lifting their performance and they clearly looked the better team over the remainder of the second half. The equaliser came when the pacy Dale Higham made a searching run before crossing to Arnon Tapp who made no mistake with his shot. It was Tapp's first goal for the premiers and it came just a couple of minutes after he had come off the reserves bench.
Keinzley was delighted with the resolve shown by his side in a match coming hard on the heels of news that their appeal against being disqualified from the Chatham Cup competition had been turned down by Football New Zealand.
"They were very disappointed to be knocked out of the cup but it didn't show, they fought hard right to the end."
Player of the match for Wairarapa United was the energetic Charles Mallman who not only got through a power of work up front but was equally busy on defence. Nathan Cooksley was typically assertive on the tackle and Brian Kalteck turned in a solid all-round effort.
The draw did no favours for Wairarapa United on the Central League points list, dropping them from third to fourth. They have 21 points, behind Miramar Rangers (33), Wellington Olympic (29) and Western Suburbs (23), and ahead of Lower Hutt City (18), Petone (16), Napier City Rovers (16), Upper Hutt City (15), Wellington United (14) and Tawa (1). Wairarapa United are away to Western Suburbs next weekend.
Meanwhile, in Capital division two Douglas Villa lost 4-2 to Wellington United on Saturday. They are now four points adrift of leaders Western Suburbs.