Wellington United’s Men’s and Women’s first team had a successful weekend both securing wins in the dying minutes of
their games.
The Women started the day with their new strips supporting the name of new sponsor Volpara Health. Their W-League match
was against Waterside Karori, who were the only team that managed to beat them last season. Games between the two are
always tight affairs and Saturday proved the same again.
The Diamonds started brightly peppering the Waterside Karori goal with shots but after about 10 minutes Waterside Karori
came back into the game and started to close done the Diamond players not allowing them any time on the ball taking
charge of the midfield.
While Diamonds had more of the territory it was Waterside Karori who opened the scoring in the 28th minute when Kayley
Ward launched a cross field pass that found Nicola Ross who calmly slotted the ball past an advancing Molly Simons in
goal.
Just after half time Natalie Olson levelled up the scores with her 50th goal for the club. Waterside Karori continued
their high pressing tactics and disrupted the Diamonds and stopped them getting into any sort of rhythm. Despite this
tactic working successfully they offered very little up front and never really troubled the Diamonds goal.
A Sarah Alder corner in the last two minutes almost went in before being brilliant headed off the line, the high looping
ball was pushed out to the edge of the penalty area where it was met by Jemma Robertson who thundered in a low shot that
found the back of the net and gave Diamonds all three points.
In the Men’s Capital Premier division, the team were in action at Tawa and opened the scoring through Cole
Hosking-Berge. It was a fairly even first half with neither team being able to assert any dominance over the other. Tawa
made it 1-1 in the 32nd min through Lachie Hill and that was the score going into half time.
The second half was more of the same with both teams creating chances but being unable to get the ball in the net, both
goalkeepers putting in good performances.
United had several close chances towards the end but were let down by some poor decision making in the penalty area, but
in referees time it was youngster Wynn Skinner, who found himself with the ball around the penalty spot and with the
keeper advancing on him showed great composure to slot the ball into the back of the net for his debut goal for the club
and give United the three points.