Pressure mounts on Marist after loss
‘‘It was a very poor effort on our part and no-one had a good game for us.’’ Marist coach Scott Hales
The pressure has suddenly gone on Palmerston North Marist to get something from their home Central League game with Wairarapa United on Memorial Park next Saturday.
After Marist was embarrassed 7-2 at Newtown Park by top-of-the-table Wellington Olympic, they got the worst news possible when bottomplaced Petone stunned Wairarapa 3-0.
The win by Petone moved them to within three points of Marist, although their goal difference is still 15 worse than Marist’s and they’ve also still to meet each other twice.
A disappointed Marist coach Scott Hales said he remains confident of his side staying in the Central League, but the pressure is now right on his side.
‘‘It will come down to who has the desire and really wants to work hard to stay in the league,’’ Hales said. ‘‘I’m sure we’re a better team but when you’re in a position to get relegated it’s all about who wants it the most.
‘‘I don’t believe Petone have all of a sudden got any better as Wairarapa was missing players injured and suspended, but there’s always an edge to games between us with so many players having played for both teams.’’
Hales said his players have to learn to not hand opposition teams opportunities to score as they have done in most games this season, especially against Olympic.
‘‘It was same old story for us,’’ he said. ‘‘We started well, missed a chance, then a poor square ball across the back and we were a goal down.’’
Instead of battling away to try to get back in the game, heads dropped and Marist conceded two more goals before the break.
It didn’t improve after the break although Jerram Tuck and Michael Sheridan were able to score consolation goals.
Marist’s horrible defending was noticeable in that Olympic never got behind the defence to score any of their seven goals. All of them came in front of the defence when defenders didn’t get out and put a foot in to halt a shot.
‘‘It was a very poor effort on our part and no-one had a good game for us.’’
In the Federation League, Marist Reserves will head to Gisborne next Saturday where a win over Thistle will give them fourth-place in the Federation League.
On Saturday, an 88th-minute goal from David Morton gave the Reserves a tight 1-0 win over secondplaced Havelock North Wanderers at Memorial Park.
A spot in the top-four will give the Reserves an opportunity to meet league winner Taranaki again after two narrow league losses.
The results of the top and bottom fours will have no bearing on the outcome of the league.
In the women’s Central League yesterday, Marist stayed near the top with an 8-0 win over Massey University in atrocious conditions on Memorial Park after being ahead 3-0 at the break. Marist’s score was inflated after the scored five goals in the final 10 minutes with Teejay Lynn-lewis (4), Amber Phillips, Mikaela Boxall, Larissa Cable and Molly Woodhead scoring goals.