Soccer: Hawkes Bay keep playoff dream alive

Photo / APN

A firecracker finish - three goals and a red card for Hicham Kamri in the last three and a bit minutes - earned Hawkes Bay United a 3-1 away win over Team Wellington and kept their hopes of an ASB Premiership playoff spot alive.

Yesterday's victory at Newtown Park kept the Bay in fourth place but slammed the door shut on Waikato FC's semifinal hopes.

Earlier in the day Canterbury United beat Otago by the same score at Linfield Park - a result with the same scenario. Canterbury still in the playoff race, Otago gone.

In the Saturday game, leadersWaitakere United snapped their losing streak with an emphatic return to their sparkling best with a second successive 6-1 home win, this time putting Waikato to the sword.

The only satisfaction for Waikato was in scoring for the 13th straight game - the only premiership team to score in every game this season.

The win re-established Waitakere's six-point lead with just the trip to Otago to come.

Second-placed Auckland City, who play their O-League game in Noumea tonight, now need to win their two remaining games by a handy margin and hope Waitakere lose in Dunedin on March 6.

Both seem unlikely as City entertain Canterbury in the last game of the regular season after playing YoungHeart Manawatu on March 2.

For Waitakere coach Neil Emblen the thumping victory at Fred Taylor Park was timely as they play City in an O-League fixture next Sunday.

Waitakere were rarely troubled, despite needing 35 minutes before Dakota Lucas opened the scoring against a plucky Waikato team weakened with Phil Edginton's 17th minute departure with what appeared a serious knee injury.

Allan Pearce scored a cracking goal out of nothing before halftime. Three goals in the opening 11 minutes of the second spell, including a second for golden boot leader Pearce, killed it off as a contest.

A resolute Waitakere defence led by centrebacks Tim Myers and Jason Rowley and fullbacks Luke Adams, who continues to impress, and Aaron Scott gave Waikato little although they did get one back 15 minutes from time when Milos Nikolic scored with a powerful long-range shot.