Wharenui wilts in the water

Press, 23 February 1980, Page 60

Wharenui wilts in the water

From RAY CAIRNS The gruelling first-day assignment faced by Wharenui finally caught up with it on the first day of the third and final round of the national club water polo championship at Newmarket yesterday. The team which benefited most from Wharenui’s tiredness, Maranui, of Wellington. now looks assured of victory for the Ryan Cup.

Wharenui could not have had a more unbalanced programme. It played and beat, squeaking through, Newmarket in its ■ first game; battled mightily, but to a two-goal loss, with Hutt: then was never really in the game against Maranui. Today, after the Lord Mayor’s show, come the relative dust-carts of Wanganui East arid Geyser City. The only win either has enjoved is that to Wanganui in the game between the two sides.

Without doubt, Wharenui’s best oerformance was against Hutt, and .had it had a night’s rest after that would surely have liked its chances of a worthy showing against Maranui. With Russell McConnochie, the Hutt captain-coach, far from

his usual commanding presence, only Grahame Duffy spelt the difference between victory and defeat for Hutt. Wharenui has been a mixed bag for much of the game against Newmarket, it looked a likely easy winner, but relaxed — almost fatally — in the final Quarter and scrambled through with an 8-7 win. The strength and control of both John Keens and Stephen Ward in the hole has been valuable to Wharenui. though each has been guilty of lax passing, and there have been the usual industrious efforts of Chris Lewis, Derek Ferige, and Murray McGirr, as well as Bryan Buck’s continued improved form. But too many silly shots have crept into Wharenui’s play, and Maranui was allowed the luxury of a seagulling game and reaped rich rewards • from breakaway goals. Against Newmarket, Keens. McGirr and Garv Campbell scored twice, Buck once, and there was an own goal. Ward (three) and Wakefield scored in the 4-6 Joss to Hutt, and in the 3-11 loss to Maranui, the goalscorers were Campbell (two) and Ward.