Footballers reap training rewards
A change in attitude on the training pitch has fuelled an unbeaten start to the season for Kapiti Coast United.
The top men’s side has scored 12 times and conceded once in the capital 1 grade, winning all three games in the process.
They’ve won three times as many games as they did in the whole of last season already, when they were relegated from Capital Premier with six points from 18 games.
Their latest result was a 4-1 win away at Petone on Easter Friday.
Player-coach Magno Vieira said he used over 40 players last season and struggled to put the same side out week-to-week, in part because of a ‘‘frustrating’’ lack of commitment to training.
He said his side’s five under-19 players were committed to learning from veterans like captain Barry Lewis.
‘‘They are very committed to training. They turn up to train twice a week. The boys are really fit, and it’s working well.
‘‘It’s great to see those guys [veterans] put in a shift and turn up to training twice a week.’’
His team had bought into the high-energy, high-intensity style he wanted to play.
‘‘The players are working hard for each other. After the game I can see they are very tired, but we’re winning games.’’
The high fitness levels were in evidence in the first game of the season, when they beat Tawa 1-0.
Down a man for the last 30 minutes, KCU nicked the points with a goal in the last five minutes.
‘‘We really rolled our sleeves up and worked that extra bit for each other,’’ Vieira said.
KCU started slowly against Petone, having their post rattled inside the first two minutes. They settled, and took a 2-0 lead into halftime, despite dominating the game, Vieira said.
‘‘We could’ve easily finished the half with five goals.’’
Although Petone pulled a goal back after a screamer from longrange, KCU regrouped and sealed the points with a late goal.
This week they face secondplaced Victoria University, who have two wins and a draw so far.
Vieira said he was expecting a tough game. ’’They’re a very young team with a lot of energy. Very physical ... if the players putt he same effort and work rate in, we have a good chance to win.’’
The game is at Weka Park on Saturday, kicking off at 2:30pm.