A 74th minute goal by Auckland City midfielder Ki-Hyung Lee cancelled out Aaron Clapham’s first-half strike for the visitors and helped stretch the defending champions unbeaten run to ten matches. Auckland still has two games in hand on Waitakere and remains the strong favourite to secure the minor premiership.
The result was also useful for Canterbury who moved into fourth place level with Team Wellington. Both teams are on 15 points but Canterbury edge ahead on goal difference. With two games in hand on third placed Otago and fifth placed Team Wellington, Canterbury is placed strongly to qualify for the NZFC play-offs for the first time since 2005-06.
In Dunedin, Otago United kept its two point advantage over Canterbury after they drew 2-2 with Waikato FC at Carisbrook. Otago looked headed toward an easy win after Ben Light opened the scoring after just five minutes. The lead was extended 13 minutes later when Nathan Knox fired home from close range to make it 2-0 for the home side.
But Michael Gwyther gave Waikato FC a lifeline when he scored after 31 minutes and he levelled the scores just seven minutes later to earn the visitors a deserved share of the spoils. Waikato FC remains in eighth place one point adrift of YoungHeart Manawatu who also drew 2-2 with sixth placed Hawke’s Bay United.
Elsewhere, Hawke’s Bay United and YoungHeart Manawatu fought out a tempestuous 2-2 draw at Park Island with referee Chris Kerr dishing out seven cards. Hawke’s Bay led 1-0 courtesy of a Leon Birnie goal after 21 minutes before Seule Soromon netted his ninth NZFC goal of the season to level the scores just before halftime.
Hawke’s Bay’s Matt Hastings restored his team’s lead three minutes into the second-half with a goal from a free-kick. A red card for Golden Boot leader Seule Soromon two minutes later looked to have put paid to YoungHeart Manawatu ambitions but Campbell Banks rescued the match for ten man YoungHeart when he levelled the scores on 72 minutes.
Meanwhile, in the Lion Foundation National Men’s Youth League Auckland City came from behind to score a dramatic 2-1 win over rivals Auckland-Manukau at Kiwitea Street. Auckland-Manukau opened the scoring through Sean Lovemore – his second goal in two weeks – only for goals by Mikhail Bredveldt and Aaron Bawdekar to hand the Kiwitea Street kids maximum points. The result means Auckland City, Auckland-Manukau and Waitakere United are now all level on 9 points after four rounds at the top of the Northern Conference table.
Waikato FC – 2-1 winners over Hawke’s Bay United – move into fourth place on the table after goals by Andrew Clothier and Jessie Smith cancelled out a consolation goal by Tom Biss.
In the first round of Southern Conference action, a hat-trick by Matt Cook fired Canterbury United to a stunning 6-1 win over Team Wellington in the capital today.
Further goals from first team player Sam Miles and Kanta Yamamoto and Adam Smith sees Canterbury sit at the top of the table after one round.
In the other Southern Conference match, Otago United’s 3-1 win over Young Heart Manawatu ensured it was all smiles for south island teams this weekend with Jackson Rodeka, Sam Mepham and an own goal enough to compensate for Dwayne Blackett’s seventh minute opener for the visitors.
Next Sunday’s NZFC fixtures see Waikato FC play host to Team Wellington at Ngaruawahia while Canterbury United and Otago United go head-to-head in the all south island derby at English Park in Christchurch. League leaders Auckland City face a difficult trip away to YoungHeart Manawatu while Waitakere United get an opportunity to cut back Auckland’s one point lead when they host Hawke’s Bay United art Fred Taylor Park.
Story and photo courtesy NZFC.