Florence MacIntyre had to step up as goalkeeper. PHOTO/FILE
FOOTBALL
CHRIS COGDALE
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The Wairarapa United women’s team not only lost the game but also lost their goalkeeper in a 4-0 defeat to Wellington United Diamonds in the Kelly Cup on Saturday.
United trailed Diamonds 1-0 after a tight first half at Maidstone Park, Upper Hutt.
Five minutes into the second half, the game changed when United goalkeeper Courtney Norman suffered a broken foot after contact with a Diamonds’ player.
With no substitute goalkeeper, United coach Paul Ifill was forced to use an outfield player in goal.
Central defender Florence MacIntyre, who had never played there before, stepped into the breach.
Ifill said the lack of experience showed.
“We fell to pieces and they [Diamonds] scored two goals that were pretty soft.”
Despite the result, Ifill said there some pleasing aspects. “We had two 14-year-olds, Nina Kondo and Darby Lambert, make their debuts and they did well.
“Our centreback Molly Whitehead played very well, and so did Michelle Bgoni [Solway College] who also made her debut.”
In the meantime, Ifill is searching for a replacement for Norman, who he thinks “will be out for a couple of months”.
“For this weekend [in the plate match] another player from the team will step up, but we need to get someone by the start of the league in April,” Ifill said.
“Goalkeepers are few and far between and our second goalkeeper from last season, Megan Welsh, has gone to Palmerston North Marist to be number one.”
Wairarapa United will play Brooklyn Northern United in the plate match at Maidstone Park at 1pm on Saturday.
Brooklyn play in the Wellington women’s Premier competition, a level lower than Wairarapa United, who play in the Central W-League.
Score
Wairarapa United 1 Wellington United Diamonds 4. HT: 0-1.
