Dylan Cottle. PHOTO/FILE
Greytown Fresh Choice suffer from injuries to key players
FOOTBALL
CHRIS COGDALE
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Waterside-Karori Thirds 2
Douglas Villa Magpies 2
Douglas Villa Magpies are ruing a late chance to snatch a valuable away win over Waterside-Karori Thirds at Karori Park on Saturday.
In the end, coach Malcolm Cox was satisfied with the one point from the 2-2 draw, which keeps the Magpies second in Capital division three.
Cox said the team didn’t help themselves in a seesawing first half by giving away too much possession and conceding two sloppy goals.
The first came from a mix-up between a defender and goalkeeper Jared Watt.
Magpies equalised shortly afterwards when former Vanuatu international Seule Soromon pounced on a mishap in the Waterside defence. They took the lead with a brilliant move down the left wing that Tremaine Rimene-Albrett finished off at the far post.
The scores were even again after 35 minutes when a Waterside player was given too much space on the edge of the penalty box and the ball curved into the goal with the aid of a blustery wind.
The Magpies had a chance for a late winner, only for Dylan Cottle’s powerful shot to be hit straight at the goalkeeper.
“We could’ve won it but coming away with a point on the road was a good result,” Cox said.
“If we keep plugging away and keep our results at home on the positive, who knows what can happen.
“It’s a tight league, and to be honest, you don’t know what sort of team you’ll meet because the teams chop and change so much with players dropping down from higher divisions.”
The Magpies are one of two unbeaten teams in the division and only two points behind leaders Petone Thirds.
They take a break from the league on Saturday to play Capital premier division team Tawa away in the next round of the Chatham Cup.
“It gives us a chance to play against some quality players and see where we end up. Our fighting spirit goes a long way, but we’ll wait and see,” Cox said.
“Tawa are struggling at the moment in the Capital premiership and have only had one win, but we are definitely the underdogs, and everyone loves an underdog.”
CAPITAL DIVISION FOUR
Greytown 1
Island Bay United 2
The step up to Capital division four from the local Wairarapa leagues was evident once again as Greytown Fresh Choice lost their first home game of the season at Soldiers Memorial Park despite playing some of their best football of the short season so far.
Greytown showed glimpses of what they’re capable of when coming from behind to an early Island Bay goal with nice build-up play from Daniel Frischknecht leading to a tidy finish from new father Andy Traill.
Injuries though took their toll on the home side with key playmaker Angus Preston tearing a hamstring and Andy Reid limping off with a leg injury.
With the sides locked at 1-1 at half-time, the patched-up Greytown struggled to reproduce their first-half form and midway through the second half, Island Bay put the winner away from a corner kick.
Man of the match honours went to young Josh Kerr, who controlled the left side of midfield.
The coming week is an important one for Greytown as they face Western Suburbs at home. With Wests on just one point, behind Greytown on two, a win for the home side will move them up the standings.
