Football: Team Wellington stun Auckland

Auckland City captain Ivan Vicelich. Photo / Getty Images.

Team Wellington 4 Auckland City 0
Waitakere United 1 Hawke's Bay United 1

Team Wellington made a strong statement of intent in the ASB Premiership today, thrashing defending champions Auckland City 4-0 at Dave Farrington Park.

Wellington were in a ruthless mood, and powered by pacey strikers Luis Corrales and Michael Gwyther, tore apart the Auckland side who had defender Marko Dordevic sent off halfway through the second half.

The result was comprehensive for Wellington, who finally unleashed the potential of their big-name off season signings, and worrying for Auckland, who leave tomorrow for the Club World Cup in Morocco after suffering the heaviest loss in the history of their franchise.

It also represents a power-shift in the league, after five-time champions Waitakere United were held to a 1-1 draw with Hawke's Bay United and now appear to be fighting for third place.

Auckland should have gone 1-0 up early in the first half when Tim Payne hit a side footed shot against the post from close range, but from there it was all Wellington.

Gwyther put the home side 1-0 up after 20 minutes by dispatching a Corrales cutback, before the roles were reversed in the 60th minute as Corrales made it 2-0.

Dordevic saw red shortly after for his second bookable offence before former All White Jarrod Smith nicely set up Gwyther for his second, then scored one of his own with a well taken volley.

"They are few days out from heading to the World Club Champs so they are a side who are raring to go and training four or five times a week," said Wellington coach Matt Calcott.

"I'm rapt for the boys it's a very good result and very positive. I thought the counter attacking was good, there was some good end product. We got round the back, we delivered early and all those things that hurt back fours."

"Until they went down to ten men, I always thought one goal wouldn't be enough. Getting that second goal - that's been coming for a few weeks and it's good to get those goals."

Auckland still sit one-point clear at the top of the table, but will now have three weeks off as they prepare to face Moghreb Athletic de Tétouan on Dec 10th.

At Fred Taylor Park a pair of first half penalties just 60 seconds apart saw Waitakere and Hawke's Bay take a point each in their 1-1 draw.

Former Hawke's Bay United player Tom Biss struck the first spot kick for Waitakere United after 26 minutes, but Ryan Tinsley replied for the visitors almost instantly after player-coach Brian Shelley pulled down Saull Halpin inside the box.

Both sides had great chances to win in the second half, with the best falling to Waitakere's English import Derice Richards who took the ball around Hawke's Bay goalkeeper Joshua Hill before dragging his shot wide of an open net.

"I thought we had enough chances in the second half to win the game," Shelley said.

"First half they came with a game plan and sat in and really let us have it and we probably didn't create enough then. Then we went ahead and it was a sloppy penalty for me to give away to let them back in the game. Someone with more experience has got to do better.

"But we created enough good chances to win it and I'm disappointed we didn't get all three today."