Sudden death showdown in Eketahuna

By WALT DICKSON

Gladstone will be exited from the Tui Cup title race if they don’t beat Eketahuna in Wairarapa-Bush premier club ruby this weekend.

Despite having the second best defensive record in 2016 Gladstone currently sit four points out of the top four, and with just two matches to play are long odds to make the semi-finals.

Were they to qualify it can only be at the expense of Eketahuna.

Eke only need one win from their final two matches while Gladdy need two, but with a favourable draw the following weekend the latter is still in with a sniff.

As it stands Carterton top the table with 44-points, Greytown is four points back and Marist a further point adrift in third on 39-points. Eketahuna is fourth with 36-points, and Gladstone, in fifth, has 32-points. Pioneer is now out of the race on 27-points ahead of East Coast and Martinborough.

Eketahuna took the spoils the last time the two sides met, narrowly winning 12-10 at Gladstone.

Whether or not the home advantage will favour them this weekend remains to be seen.

Gladstone has been the more consistent of the two in recent weeks including a 36-25 win over Carterton. Eketahuna on the other hand have come up short in both of their last two games.

Adding some spice to the match is the fact that Gladstone will feel that the only reason they find themselves knocking at death’s door is because of a judiciary ruling.

Beaten by bottom of the table Martinborough, both Eketahuna and Greytown were awarded five points each after it was ruled that Martinborough had fielded an ineligible player. While the judiciary had no choice but to make the ruling it bumped Gladstone down the table to the gain of Eketahuna and also Greytown who are now locked in for the semi-finals.

Gladstone coach Steve Thompson says the decision was a bitter pill to swallow, but he has “got over it.”

“That sort of threw a spanner in the works really because we knew we were sitting alright and then all of sudden we are up against it,” Thompson says.

He is anticipating a tough game this weekend, but is “quietly confidently” his team have the goods to win.

Thompson was sideline for Eketahuna’s most recent encounter, against Greytown, a match they were pipped at the post in the last play going down 37-34.

Meanwhile, the stage is set for a cracking game of footy at Trust House Memorial Park when Marist take on Carterton.

The Moose Kapene Cup champions pretty much had a June to forget with back-to-back loses and some patchy form. Saturday’s match will be a good gauge as to whether head coach Joe Harwood’s chargers are hitting their straps for the business end of the season.

Marist was the only side to beat Carterton in round one winning 23-20.

In other matches defending champions Greytown are at home to East Coast while Pioneer head south to Martinborough.

Get full list of results on Wairarapa-Bush Facebook page.

DRAW:
Carterton v Marist, Trust House Memorial Park
Eketahuna v Gladstone, Eketahuna
Greytown v East Coast, Greytown
Pioneer v Martinborough, Jean Street.