Football: Hawke's Bay continue impressive start

Hamish Watson scored today for Hawke's Bay United. Photo / Getty

Hawke's Bay United have joined Auckland City at the top of the ASB Premiership ladder after an impressive 2-0 win over Canterbury United today.

Brett Angell's side have been the surprise package of the league to start the season, and they continued their unbeaten beginning to the campaign by taking down the visiting Cantabrians at Bluewater Stadium in Napier.

Midfielder Tom Biss opened the scoring from the spot in the 52nd minute, converting the penalty into the bottom right corner after his nifty footwork had seen him bundled over inside the box.

In a game with few shots on target, Canterbury's English striker Gary Ogilvie had the best opportunities to get Willy Gerdsen's men into the contest, putting a first half free-kick into the side netting and missing the target with a shot on the turn late in the contest.

Just as Canterbury started to send men forward for an equaliser, Hawke's Bay striker Hamish Watson sealed the win for the hosts with an 86th minute strike.

With 10 points from four games, Hawke's Bay now sit level on points with Auckland - with the two sides having played out a 1-1 draw earlier this year which stands as the only blemish on each team's resume.

Meanwhile, WaiBOP United have stormed into third spot on the ladder after a 2-1 win over Southern United at Forsyth Barr Stadium.

Two goals to midfielder Stephen Hoyle made the difference for the visitors, who leap above Team Wellington and Canterbury United on the standings after grabbing their second win of the season.

Hoyle put WaiBOP ahead in the 10th minute, being on hand at near post to hook a scrambling shot home after a corner. Peter Smith's side kept their advantage to the break, having the better of the first half as Southern's best chance came from a ballooning strike which WaiBOP keeper Zac Speedy had to tip onto the post.

Hoyle snared his second after the interval, with the former Hawke's Bay midfielder capitalising upon great work down the right hand side from the influential Mark Jones to roll it into the open net.

Southern got a goal back five minutes later through a low strike from Andrew Mobberley which went in off the far post, but WaiBOP held strong to pick up the three points.

Earlier in the week, the Wellington Phoenix Reserves beat Waitakere United 2-1 to edge off the bottom of the table and send Waitakere to the lowest point of their ASB Premiership history - the five-time championship winning club now sitting last on the ladder.

Auckland City and Team Wellington had byes as a result of Auckland's current involvement in the FIFA Club World Cup.