Soccer: Auckland, Waitakere still lead the way

Auckland City and Waitakere United continued their unbeaten start to the New Zealand Football Championship season with 1-0 away wins in catch-up games over the weekend.

In a drab affair at Newtown Park on Saturday, City beat Team Wellington with a 40th-minute goal from Matt Williams after a strong run from James Pritchett.

The home team, looking for a change of fortune after being beaten 4-0 by YoungHeart Manawatu at the same ground in the opening round, had a couple of half chances but not much else.

They have yet to score their first goal of the season.

Adam Dickenson and Grant Young had late chances for City but it was a game which never looked likely to produce a goalfest.

Waitakere held the upper hand for long periods of yesterday's win over Manawatu at Memorial Park but were denied on three or four occasions by goalkeeper Ross Nicholson, who pulled off some spectacular saves.

The only goal came four minutes into the second half.

In a well-worked move, Martin Bullock played a good ball to Allan Pearce who played a long ball to ever-lively Roy Krishna who snapped a first-time rocket which gave Nicholson no chance.

Seule Soromon, who scored all four goals in his team's win over Team Wellington, was well contained yesterday and had few even half chances.

In a classic early-season contest, Auckland City are at home to Waitakere on Sunday.