Soccer: Clear wins for leaders shut out wannabes

The door has been slammed shut on the pretenders chasing Auckland City and Waitakere United in the inaugural New Zealand Football Championship.

Convincing wins - with neither conceding a goal - to the Auckland teams in weekend matches have almost certainly assured them of a one-two finish.

For Waitakere United coach Chris Milicich, yesterday's 4-0 home win over Napier City was a godsend after the bumbling 1-1 draw against Team Wellington at the same Trusts Stadium ground a week earlier.

The class missing recently from the early-season front-runners returned for long periods yesterday as United shut out a Napier side who had deserved better than a 3-3 draw with Auckland City at Kiwitea St in the previous round.

"It was disappointing but we can't dwell on it for too long," said Napier coach Charlie Howe.

"We have four games to play and we need to get some respectability from them - and 12 points. But to win you have to score goals."

Waitakere did that and a lot more.

Ahead when Allan Pearce carved through the Napier defence to provide the finishing touch to a pinpoint pass from Jake Butler, United never looked back.

Within a minute Keryn Jordan created a half chance out of nothing which goalkeeper Mitchell O'Brien did well to parry. A minute later Hoani Edwards snapped a long range effort wide.

Midway through the spell the home side went 2-0 ahead when Gerard Davis marked his return with a superb effort. He gathered from a throw, checked infield and let fly a 25m shot which gave O'Brien no chance.

Davis, playing in midfield, quickly showed out again as a player of genuine talent. He and Butler, who had a much better game than his previous hesitant effort, commanded the right ride of United's attack, often putting the City defence under extreme pressure.

Slowly the visitors, who had survived on less than 20 per cent possession, came into it with Leon Birnie having a couple of half chances but none which really tested had stand-in captain and United goalkeeper Simon Eaddy.

The second half was more of the same as United went 3-0 ahead in the 65th minute.

Butler deftly headed home a Theary Thou corner kick - one of 10 won by the home side - compared with just one earned by Napier.

Hiroki Tanaka ran on to a ball popped through by Jordan to grab No 4 goal 10 minutes from time - a goal he was happy to celebrate in front of his mother and sister in Auckland from Japan for four days.

"We should be in good shape come the business end of the season," said Milicich.

"This win has taken a lot of pressure off."

Auckland City had two first-half goals from Paul Urlovic to put them on course for victory in Nelson where they eventually beat Canterbury United 3-0.

City have remained in the South Island and tonight play Otago United in a game in which a point will enable them to shrug off Waitakere who have drawn level at the top of the points table but still trail on goal difference.

The domination by the Auckland teams was helped by draws involving third-placed Waikato FC - 1-1 with Otago in Invercargill on Saturday - and Team Wellington who finished level at the same score against YoungHeart Manawatu on Friday.

In the second game tonight, Waikato are away to Canterbury in Christchurch.