Wellington United players celebrate George Barbarouses goal (Photo TJF Photos)
NEW LOOK UNITED START SEASON WITH A WIN
Monday 8 June 2020
Words Dave Webster \ WUAFC Media
Photo TJF Photos
The long awaited 2020 football season got underway on Saturday and a new look Wellington United took all three points away at Seatoun Park. Wellington United gave debuts to nine players, including George Barbarouses who had signed from Wellington Olympic during the week, as coach Guillermo Schiltenwolf rebuilds the men's side of the club after relegation from the Central League last season.
Their opponents, Seatoun, were also new to the division having won Capital One in 2019, their second successive title after winning Capital Two in 2018. This success helped make Seatoun a daunting prospect, especially at Seatoun Park where it was almost three years to the day since they had lost at home.
Seatoun started stronger as the Wellington United team got used to each other. As the first half went on it became a more even game, both sides having chances. United did get the ball in the net but it was ruled out for offside. Both keepers performed well and ensured the score stayed at 0-0 at half time.
The turning point in the game came just after half time, in the 48th minute, when Seatoun's Che Jesson-Bentley opted for early ablutions, by earning himself a second yellow card and being sent from the field.
At first the reduction in players didn't seem to make much difference but as the game went on, United's players while new to the club, have plenty of experience, Captain Chas Lawerence has around 250 league appearances, Martin Packer 120 (in NZ) and this started to show through. In the 68th minute Gerorge Barbarouses found himself in space on the right wing about 25 meters out from goal and fired in a shot that Seatoun keeper Charles Morris couldn't do anything about and it was 1-0 to United
The rest of the match then became an exercise in keeping Seatoun from scoring which United did effectively. There was a bizzare moment two minutes from time when a triple substitution (2 players for United, 1 for Seatoun) was made. After the ref restarted play both benches realised that United actually had 12 players on the pitch and alerted the referee, who stopped play and resolved the situation. The United player who was being subbed hadn't heard his name and it appears that the ref had assumed he had made use of the new laws which allow players to leave the pitch at the closest sideline to where they are and restarted the game.
The 1-0 win was Wellington United's first since July 2018 and was enhanced by the news that Leo Villa had arrived back in the country and after two weeks quarantine will be available to play.
Ends
MATCH DETAILS
Men's Capital Premier Division
Seatoun 0
Wellington United Diamonds 1 (George Barbarouses)
Their opponents, Seatoun, were also new to the division having won Capital One in 2019, their second successive title after winning Capital Two in 2018. This success helped make Seatoun a daunting prospect, especially at Seatoun Park where it was almost three years to the day since they had lost at home.
Seatoun started stronger as the Wellington United team got used to each other. As the first half went on it became a more even game, both sides having chances. United did get the ball in the net but it was ruled out for offside. Both keepers performed well and ensured the score stayed at 0-0 at half time.
The turning point in the game came just after half time, in the 48th minute, when Seatoun's Che Jesson-Bentley opted for early ablutions, by earning himself a second yellow card and being sent from the field.
At first the reduction in players didn't seem to make much difference but as the game went on, United's players while new to the club, have plenty of experience, Captain Chas Lawerence has around 250 league appearances, Martin Packer 120 (in NZ) and this started to show through. In the 68th minute Gerorge Barbarouses found himself in space on the right wing about 25 meters out from goal and fired in a shot that Seatoun keeper Charles Morris couldn't do anything about and it was 1-0 to United
The rest of the match then became an exercise in keeping Seatoun from scoring which United did effectively. There was a bizzare moment two minutes from time when a triple substitution (2 players for United, 1 for Seatoun) was made. After the ref restarted play both benches realised that United actually had 12 players on the pitch and alerted the referee, who stopped play and resolved the situation. The United player who was being subbed hadn't heard his name and it appears that the ref had assumed he had made use of the new laws which allow players to leave the pitch at the closest sideline to where they are and restarted the game.
The 1-0 win was Wellington United's first since July 2018 and was enhanced by the news that Leo Villa had arrived back in the country and after two weeks quarantine will be available to play.
Ends
MATCH DETAILS
Men's Capital Premier Division
Seatoun 0
Wellington United Diamonds 1 (George Barbarouses)
