Weather threat to title tilt

Wairarapa United are getting valuable support from within and outside their own code as they prepare for their vital Central League Football match with Miramar Rangers in Wellington on Saturday.

A win there will keep Wairarapa United in serious contention for their first Central League title. But the recent spate of wet weather is threatening to disrupt their normal training schedule.

The heaviness of the grass surface ruled out their normal training venue, Howard Booth Park in Carterton, and left coach Phil Keinzley desperately ringing around to see if any indoor facilities were available.

Keinzley was delighted at the response given to him by the volleyball association which, after an approach to Trinity Schools received a sympathetic hearing, allowed Wairarapa United to take up their allocated time in the St Matthew's Collegiate gymnasium on Tuesday night.

And by Masterton Athletic AFC who have offered the use of their training time at the Makoura College gymnasium.

"It just goes to show how much good feeling there is amongst the sporting groups in the Wairarapa," Keinzley said.

The Wairarapa United coach has his fingers crossed that the weather will improve enough between now and Saturday to discount any prospect of the match with Miramar Rangers being postponed.

He needs experienced midfielder Pita Rabo to serve his one match suspension for being sent off against Bay Olympic last weekend so that he will be available for the Chatham Cup final. Saturday's game is the only opportunity for that to happen.

Keinzley also anticipates resting another of his midfielders, in Dale Higham, for two reasons: To give a hamstring strain time to recover and because he is sitting on four yellow cards. One more and he, too, would be sitting out the Chatham Cup final.

It won't be until after tonight's training session that the Wairarapa United starting line-up for the Miramar Rangers match will be confirmed but in the likely absence of both Rabo and Higham, coach Keinzley was leaning towards bringing in Pablo Moya to replace Adam Milne at fullback, moving Milne to central midfield and replacing Higham with Nobuyishi Ishi.