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Auckland City returned to the top of the New Zealand Football Championship yesterday as they beat Waikato 2-0 and Waitakere United, playing the last 20 minutes without their regular goalkeeper, lost 3-2 to Manawatu.
Auckland, beaten for the first time last week by Waitakere, have a one-point lead over their rivals with Wellington two points further back
Manawatu's dramatic 3-2 win - secured by Adam Cowan's injury time winner - revolved around goalkeeper Simon Eaddy's contentious 70th minute red card with Waitakere up 2-1.
With Benjamin Totori opening the scoring for Waitakere in the 26th minute and Daniel Koprivcic extending the lead seven minutes into the second half, Waitakere seemed on course for an eighth straight victory.
Uruguayan striker Gouzalo Nieres pegged a goal back for Manawatu after an hour and his second - a penalty for Eaddy's red-card wrestle with Dominic Rowe as both contested the ball - set up a dramatic final 15 minutes.
Referee Antony Riley sent off Eaddy, a decision that enraged Waitakere coach Chris Milicich. With defender Darren Bazeley having to fill in between the sticks, a third Manawatu goal was always a chance. Cowan's late header provided the coup de grace.
"We were well in control and then the ref makes a shocking call that hands the opposition the game," Milicich said. "It was negligent, disgraceful and I'm left horrified at the refereeing performance today."
By contrast Auckland's win at the Croatian Cultural Society ground was uncontentious, but a credit to their depth of talent after a run of injuries and suspensions. Two of the team's veterans provided the goals. In the 13th minute Grant Young beat the offside trap as he ran on to a defence-splitting pass from Salesh Kumar and chipped the ball past goalie Danny Robinson.
In the 39th minute Ky-Hyung Lee found himself 25 metres out with nobody to pass to. He juggled the ball to his powerful right foot and fired a rocket of a shot that gave Robinson no chance.
Both teams had chances in the second spell but neither goalkeeper was severely tested as shots flew wide and high from both teams.
"We were slow out of the blocks," said Roger Wilkinson, the Waikato coach. "But full marks to Auckland. They took their goals well and the second one was superb."
Auckland coach Colin Tuaa was delighted with the way his team played, especially in the first half.
"It was a fantastic effort after the disappointment last week. I thought some of the younger players showed they were up for it and Lee's goal was just great."
Veteran striker Graham Little scored a second-half hat-trick as Wellington kept the pressure on the leaders with a 3-0 victory over Canterbury in the capital on Saturday.
His first in the 47th minute was a fortunate ricochet from a clearing kick by young goalkeeper Michael O'Keefe, the second was a well-taken penalty in the 77th minute and the third a neat finish five minutes later as he slipped his markers.
In the other Saturday game Hawkes Bay beat Otago 3-1 at Napier after the teams had been level 1-1 right up until the 88th minute.
