Hutt win helps bid to survive

The Central League relegation battle has intensified with Lower Hutt’s big win over Wellington Olympic on Sunday.

Leaders Western Suburbs continued on their merry way at the top with a 3-1 win over Team Taranaki at Endeavour Park on Sunday, but it was at the other end of the table where the interest lay.

That was where defending champions Olympic went down 4-0 at Wakefield Park. The result lifted Lower Hutt above Olympic into eighth place, with Olympic one point back, but just one ahead of last-placed Palmerston North Marist with five games to go.

Lower Hutt had the better of the chances in the first half without finding the back of the net, but found their shooting boots in the second to score four goals in 26 minutes.

Nathanael Hailemariam opened the scoring from the penalty spot five minutes into the second half after Olympic skipper Chas Lawrence brought down Jared Cunniff in the box. Cunniff got a goal of his own with a good finish 15 minutes later, before two goals in two minutes to Hailemariam and Tim Fenton secured the win.

Lower Hutt coach Steve Coleman described it as a great team performance, but reserved special praise for 17-year-old central midfielder Pranay Singh.

‘‘He was absolutely outstanding on debut in the Central League, I thought he was magnificent for a lad of 17. All over the field the boys were great, I can’t fault anyone out there today.’’

While the win lifted his side off the bottom of the ladder, Coleman was well aware of the hard work still ahead to ensure their survival.

‘‘That gets us up a bit further and puts Palmy on the bottom, but every point we get from now is crucial.’’

Sunday’s other game saw Napier City Rovers essentially end Stop Out’s faint title hopes with a 4-1 win. The result puts Stop Out nine points behind leaders Wests.

Saturday’s games went largely to script, with second-placed Wairarapa staying four points behind Wests after a 5-2 win over Wellington United.

There were seven goals out at David Farrington Park as well, but they all went to Miramar Rangers as a Fraser Norrington hat-trick propelled them to a 7-0 win over Palmerston North Marist.

In the women’s W-League, Seatoun did Upper Hutt a massive favour by holding Palmerston North Marist to a 1-1 draw.

That result, coupled with Upper Hutt’s 2-0 win over Wellington United, gave Upper Hutt a four-point lead with five games to go. Wairarapa got their first point of the season when they drew 2-2 with Stop Out.