Performance of the season??

Wainui made the relatively short trip over the Wainui Hill to face Stop Out at a blustery Hutt Park Raceway this afternoon.  Stop Out played with the wind at their backs and took an early lead with a ball that drifted over Simon Rippons head and held up just enough for Stop Outs' striker to nod into an empty net.  After beating Wainui well earlier in the season Stop Out could have been forgiven for thinking that todays game would be no different but Wainui had other ideas.

After conceding so early in the game Wainui played the game along the ground not wanting to put the ball into the air too often, the wind was so strong the ball would just blow back to where it was kicked from.  John MacKay was excellent again down the right again and created some good chances with the use of his trickery and at the back some composed defending from Neil Barclay and a couple of great saves from Simon Rippon kept Wainui in the game.

Witht the wind at their backs Wainui came out for the second half and pushed forward from the off, they did have a couple of scares in their own goalmouth but the defence was always in control.  The equaliser duly came with 25 minutes left to play when Paul Wood beat a couple of players down the left, squared the ball for Callum Patterson whos shot was saved well by the keeper, the rebound fell for Stephen Quirke who blasted home from close range to the delight of the travelling fans.

The boys did create some more chances but the wind interefered with the flight of the ball and Stop Out to their credit also defended well when they had to.  The game drew to a close and with that brought Wainui another point in their race to avoid the drop.  This was in my opinion Wainuis best performance of the sesason,  and the win would well and truly been deserved against a very good, well organised Stop Out side.  So one more game to go for the season next weekend against Wellington United, if they can play like they did today who knows what might happen at Richard Prouse Park next Saturday!!