United can make up points—Marshall

Press, 29 July 1989, Page 15

United can make up points—Marshall

By

GARY BIRKETT

Mount Maunganui’s sevenpoint break over Christchurch United in the national soccer league should not be impossible to pull back over the second round, according to the United coach, lan Marshall.

United, bidding for three successive league titles, is in fourth equal place, but Mr Marshall believes the second round will test Mount Maunganui’s resources to the limit. “Their record is impressive but the pressure really goes on now. Last year Mount Wellington had a five-point lead with five or six rounds to play and then started to feel the pressure. Any team that strings five or six wins together can climb up the table. The second round will be a lot harder. Teams like Miramar are starting to play good football now and a lot of other teams will improve.” At the start of the second round last year United was five points behind the leader and in 1987 it was one point behind. Mr Marshall is happy with the attitude of his players but injury worries are hindering its second-round preparation. Allan Carville (knee), Keith Braithwaite (hamstring) and Kevin Calder (hamstring) are all out for tomorrow’s clash with Waterside-Karori in Wellington. They also missed United’s 2-0 home win over Waterside in last Sunday’s Chatham Cup quarter-finals and United will

field Mike Boomer at left back and Johan Verweij and Julyan Falloon up front as it did in that match.

Carville was due to see a surgeon last evening to see if surgery was required on his right knee, which has troubled the speedy striker for several years. He is hoping that it is a cartilage injury so that surgery will rectify the problem in quick time. Mr Marshall said the loss of Braithwaite (11 goals) and Carville (five goals) was a blow at this stage of the season. “They are two key strikers — among the best in the country. It will be a great shame if Allan is ruled out altogether because he adds so much to our side. He scores goals for us and makes them as well. Keith has been troubled by injury for six weeks yet still has 11 goals. Strikers like those two are very difficult to replace but Johan and Julyan will do good jobs for us.” Waterside was disappointing in the attacking third last Sunday and its leading striker, Jim Clark, is still out through suspension. It has only nine points from 12 games and United should return home with three points if it maintains the solid form it produced in the Cup. Other round 14 games are: Miramar v. Hutt Valley; Waikato v. Wellington; Waitakere v. Mount Maunganui; Manurewa v. North Shore; Mount Wellington v. Papatoe-

toe; Gisborne v. Napier. Meanwhile, the Canterbury A selector-coach, Terry Conley, said Christchurch United players will form the basis for tho side to challenge Otago ir the Winfield Shield in Dunedin on August 23. Mr Conley said the team should be named on August 15 and it would not include many southern league players. "You have got to be realistic. Generally speaking the best players in Christchurch are with United. When you are selecting representative teams you can’t please everyone. I use the criteria that I should be happy with the team and I am sure lan Marshall (manager) will agree with me.” Mr Conley said southern league coaches had every right to push for their players to be included but he doubted that southern league players would oust national league players. Otago has successfully defended the trophy four times but Mr Conley remains confident that Canterbury will lift it. He said if the trophy did come north, teams from the South Island should be given first challenges with a buildup to stronger challenges from the likes of Auckland and Wellington at the end of 1990. • Teams like Bay of Plenty and Poverty Bay should also be encouraged to challenge, he said. The trophy's sponsor pays travel costs for challengers.