KEY POINTS:
Auckland City, with two goals in the opening seven minutes, went on to beat Otago United 2-0 away, Team Wellington matched City's three-from-three start with a 2-1 win over Waikato FC and Waitakere United joined the away winners, beating Canterbury United 3-1 to charge into third place.
City wasted no time at Carisbrook.
A defensive error in the fourth minute opened the way for Paul Urlovic to break through one-on-one and slide the ball home.
Three minutes later golden boot leader Bryan Little curled home a 20m freekick for 2-0.
Both teams had half chances in the remaining 83 minutes but neither found the net and left the southerners still searching for their first goal.
At English Park, the opening minutes were even more frenetic. Canterbury United kicked off but after 93secs Waitakere hit the front when Chris Bale swept home.
In the 15th minute captain Danny Hay headed home a freekick for 2-0 but within a minute Ryan Faichnie found unmarked Dave Walker who crossed to Blair Scoullar who provided the finish.
After 26 minutes the scoring was all over when Darren Bazeley picked out Benjamin Totori, who re-established the visitor's two-goal advantage.
The home side ended the match with 10 players after Andy Pitman was shown straight red in the 76th minute.
Team Wellington, too, joined the first half frenzy with goals after 23 minutes to captain Andy Barron and 20 minutes later to Darren Cheriton.
Waikato's Hone Fowler was the only player in four matches to score in the second half. His 77th-minute goal gave the home side late hope which could have become better had Dale Williams scored with a late free-kick.
Saturday's round opener in Napier ended scoreless with Hawkes Bay United and YoungHeart Manawatu sharing the points in a game dominated by debutante referee James Thian, who flashed seven yellow cards and a straight red at Bays' Stuart Hogg.
Contrast that with Chris Kerr in Dunedin who got through the game without showing a card of either hue.
