Lower Hutt deliver four-stay display
The Central League relegation battle has intensified with Lower Hutt’s big win over Wellington Olympic yesterday.
Leaders Western Suburbs continued on their merry way at the top with a 3-1 win over Team Taranaki at Endeavour Park yesterday, 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 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 with a penalty 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.
Lawrence endured a tough day at the office and was substituted 15 minutes from time, heading straight up the hill to the changing rooms where a loud bang was heard as he entered. His frustration was shared by many of his team-mates due to Olympic’s limp second-half performance.
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, 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.
‘‘In my time in this country I don’t think it’s ever been this tight down the bottom. Normally there’s one team who are worse than everyone else, but it’s not the case this year, anyone can beat anyone.
‘‘That gets us up a bit further and puts Palmy on the bottom, but every point we get from now is crucial.’’
Yesterday’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 - although they made life difficult for themselves when Suele Soromon was sent off for his second bookable offence just before halftime.
They were already 5-1 up against Wellington United by that stage, with Sam Mason-Smith grabbing a hat-trick in the first 32 minutes. A man down, Wairarapa played more defensively in the second half, with Wellington only able to get one more goal thanks to Sam Phillip.
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 fourpoint lead with five games to go. Wairarapa got their first point when they drew 2-2 with Stop Out.