Soccer: Close finish certain for playoff deciders

The pundits could not have scripted it better with the inaugural New Zealand Football Championship going to the wire.

But, in looking at Friday's third-place decider between Napier City and Waikato FC, the statistics make interesting reading.

Waikato, still two points ahead of Napier despite their 2-0 loss to runaway leaders Auckland City on Friday night, must travel for the game which will find Waitakere United's opponent in the March 6 championship semi-final.

In normal circumstances, with the stakes so high, home advantage would be seen as a huge factor. Napier might think otherwise.

They have won only four times at Park Island whereas Waikato's record on the road - five wins and three draws - is impressive.

The matches between the two sides have been shared with Waikato having home advantage in both, losing 2-0 and later posting 3-1 victory.

The weekend's penultimate round-robin round held little other interest, although Canterbury United made certain of finishing as the top South Island side with their 5-2 win over Otago United in Timaru.

The victory, in one of the five promotional matches moved around the country by New Zealand Soccer in the first season of the championship, also elevated Canterbury into the top half of the table.

Two goals each to Justin Lucas and Nathan Knox ensured Canterbury's sixth win of the season and left Otago looking over their shoulder as they now contemplate a last-place finish after shaping up as a top three contender early on.

The only highpoint for Otago in yesterday's loss was Blair Scoullar's 58th minute goal, which took his season tally to 10.

The Golden Boot race will be decided this weekend, but that is also going to the wire.

In scoring less than five minutes after coming on as a late substitute for Waitakere in their comfortable 3-0 win over YoungHeart Manawatu at Trusts Stadium yesterday, Keryn Jordan took his tally to 14 to join fellow South African Grant Young at the top of the boot race.

Young missed the first half of Auckland City's 2-0 away win over Waikato FC after being delayed on his way to the game.

In his absence Paul Urlovic made merry, grabbing two to take his tally to 13 and, along with Napier's Leon Birnie, within one of the leaders.

Waitakere coach Chris Milicich, with an obvious eye to the future, rested Jordan for all but the last few minutes yesterday while first-choice goalkeeper Simon Eaddy sat it out.

The game marked a welcome return for Danny Hay, who joined Sean Douglas at the heart of a defence which performed admirably against a Manawatu side that struggled to get into the game.

Hay gave Milicich half a game and Douglas, also returning from injury, 70 minutes. While they seem set to play key roles in remaining games, Milicich is unlikely to see Gerard Davis, Noah Hickey or Graham Pearce again.

Jeremy Christie's 26th minute freekick beat goalkeeper Richard Gillespie to give Waitakere the lead.

Allan Pearce made it 2-0 right on half-time with a well-taken solo effort. Jordan completed the scoring five minutes from time.

Little went right for the visitors, who had to play in a borrowed Waitakere strip. They need a miracle against Auckland City on Saturday if they to have any chance of escaping the foot of the table.

Last round

* Friday, Napier v Waikato.

* Saturday, Auckland v Manawatu.

* Sunday, Canterbury v Wellington; Waitakere v Otago.