WaiBOP United Head Coach, Peter Smith, was a tiredly happy man after his team’s trip to the deep south. The somewhat epic trip home, that took in a flight from Dunedin to Auckland, a bus ride to Hamilton, then a drive to his home in Mt Maunganui, was more than made up for by United’s best win of the season.
Smith heaped praise on his players after the result. “I’m really pleased for the guys. We’ve had a few disruptions this season, but the core group has continued to work hard,” he said. “Yesterday they got the result some of their recent performances have deserved.”
Smith reserved a special word of praise for four goal hero, Nik Robson. “It’s not often at any level anyone scores four in a match. Nik’s a top lad and I thought it was a great effort by him. And to think he even had the luxury of missing a penalty,” smiled Smith.
Despite the result WaiBOP’s slim play-off chances have now disappeared, but that hasn’t stopped Smith from looking confidently forward to his side’s final two matches of the season. “We can’t make the play-offs this season, but we can have an influence on who does,” he said. “Both Waitakere and Wellington will travel to Cambridge with the pressure that comes with needing a result. We’ll be looking to make their tasks as difficult as we possibly can.”
WaiBOP United’s next match is against Waitakere United at John Kerkhof Park, Cambridge, on Saturday February 15. Kick-off is at 5pm.
