Wai United’s Jonty Roubos, No 7, orchestrated a vital win over Napier City Rovers. PHOTOS/FILE
FOOTBALL
CHRIS COGDALE
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Napier City Rovers 2
Wairarapa United 3
Teenager Jonty Roubos starred for Trust House Wairarapa United in an important away win, which keeps their prospects of qualifying for the new national championship alive.
The speedy striker was in devastating form, setting up two goals and scoring the third before going off with a knee injury in the 70th minute.
The first goal came in the 18th minute when Roubos set up fullback Scott Adams for a simple tap-in.
Ben Wade put Napier level five minutes later though, but the complexion of the game changed in the 38th minute when the home side’s player-coach Bill Robertson was sent off after dragging Roubos down inside the box.
Wairarapa United player-coach Paul Ifill said the red card came after he had played a through ball over Robertson’s shoulder.
“Jonty was the only player who could get on to it, and Bill pulled him back. Then Jonty ran around him again and Bill dragged him down,” he said.
“It was a dead set penalty, and we were a bit lucky; I thought it was a yellow because I thought there were covering defenders.”
Ifill converted the spotkick, and Roubos scored a brilliant individual goal when he ran on to a through ball at halfway, beat two or three defenders and finished with the outside of his foot.
Ifill said that when Roubos left the field, the game changed, and Napier pushed forward, eventually scoring in the last five minutes through a Josh Cremen own goal.
Ifill said it was a good result, there was a lot of character shown, and it keeps United in the mix in the Central League, three points behind fourth-placed Western Suburbs with three games to play.
United need to finish in fourth place to qualify for the national championships.
Seatoun 2
Wairarapa United 6
Samoan international TJ Lyne-Lewis scored her third hat-trick of the W-League as Tumu ITM Wairarapa bounced back from their run of four consecutive losses to beat Seatoun away.
The three goals takes Lyne-Lewis’s tally to 18, well clear of her nearest rival in the race for the W-League Golden Boot.
A three-goal burst in an eight-minute period just before halftime set up Saturday’s win.
Coach Paul Ifill said it was tight at 1-1 against a much-improved Seatoun, who United had beaten by seven goals in the first round.
“The three goals just before halftime completely changed the game, and in the second half, we controlled the game,” he said.
“They scored a goal and deserved it, and we added another couple. Overall, I was pretty pleased.
United will secure third place in the W-League with victory in their final game of season away to Petone on August 7.
Douglas Villa Magpies 2
Naenae 2
Douglas Villa Magpies quest for promotion from Capital Division Three hit a speed bump with a draw at home to Naenae on Saturday.
The result has closed the gap to two points between second-placed Magpies and Victoria University Accies in third place, with the top two teams promoted to Capital Two.
Naenae took the early lead on Saturday before goals to captain Willy Syben, and Lockie Burling gave Magpies a 2-1 halftime lead.
Prolific goal scorer Josh McMenamin will be back from suspension for Saturday’s vital away clash with leaders Petone Thirds, and coach Malcolm Cox is hopeful midfielder Caleb Anstis will be over his back injury.
Wellington Marist 5
Greytown 0
A four-goal first-half blitz by Wellington Marist at Kilbirnie Park effectively ended Greytown Fresh Choice’s hopes of promotion from Capital Division Four.
Greytown struggled from the kick-off to get any rhythm in their game and the hosts took advantage scoring after just 10 minutes after a defensive lapse.
With only the bare 11 available for Greytown, there was not a lot that coach James Smith could do to change anything, and Marist took full advantage with three more goals in the half before rounding off the scoring in the early part of the second half.
It wasn’t all bad for the visitors, however, with the midfield trio of Angus Preston, Andy Traill, and Nik Finlay putting in huge efforts. Up front, Jarrod MacDonald ran his legs off but struggled to get away many efforts on target.
With Marist and Wainuiomata now five and six points respectively ahead of Greytown, the gap appears a bridge too far.
Greytown are away again this Saturday to Stop Out Thirds, who they beat 3-1 win in the first round.
