Soccer: Quiet achiever hits his stride

Auckland City's Jonathan Smith celebrates his first goal during their New Zealand Football Championship match against Waitakere United on Saturday. Picture / Brett Phibbs

Jonathan Smith has probably never been regarded among the household names in New Zealand soccer.

And if that gives the rangy midfielder the element of surprise, it's an anonymity his Auckland City coach Allan Jones is happy to see continue.

Smith has the pedigree to do well. He is a former national under-17 international, playing in the New Zealand team who lost the 1995 Oceania final 1-0 to an Australian team which boasted, among others, Harry Kewell and Brett Emmerton.

He also has a couple of Chatham Cup winners' medals hanging on the wall, although he goes to great pains to admit the first he got by default without leaving the bench.

That was then, this is now. Nothing much has changed except Smith has more people taking notice these days.

Against Team Wellington a week ago, Smith scored one and provided the match-winning assist - a deft header that Paul Urlovic volleyed home.

On Saturday in the much-touted derby with Waitakere United, who in their earlier life played as Waitakere City (the club he played much of his senior football with), the scoreline after 37 minutes read Jonathan Smith 2 Waitakere United 0. Game over. Top spot, surely, sealed.

United, down 0-4 after 58 minutes, got back to 2-4 with a questionable penalty converted by Keryn Jordan and an injury time Allan Pearce header, but by then they were well beaten.

James Pritchett had made it 3-0 early in the second spell with a freakish effort from the sideline and Grant Young had picked his spot from the edge of the penalty area for 4-0.

Through it all, Smith continued to work as tirelessly as ever. A foot here, a head there, the usual "box-to-box" running in helping out on defence or attack. He has a physical presence few midfielders can match. And, of course, the bonus of having now scored five goals.

"There is no real change in the way I'm playing except, I suppose, I'm playing in a pretty good team and trying to do what Allan wants," said Smith. "He is pretty exact on what he wants. It is up to us to do it.

"He is a very well organised coach, knows what we can expect from the opposition and looks for me to take a more combative midfield role. But really, it is how I have always played."

Smith, 26, is the first to admit he is not exactly lightning in football boots, but he plays so well within any limitations that after 90 minutes it's plaudits from his coach on a job well done.

He holds no great hopes that new New Zealand Knights boss John Adshead will come knocking but should any such opportunity come he would obviously consider it.

An Otago University graduate with surveying and finance degrees, Smith is enjoying his football even if his goal-scoring deeds of recent times have not been witnessed by his parents - father Barry is New Zealand Soccer's long-serving statistician - who are holidaying in Britain.

They won't even be back to see the NZ Football Championship grand final, which City are virtually assured of hosting on March 12.

In yesterday's final round-19 game, Napier City beat Canterbury United 3-2 at Park Island to join Team Wellington as the only teams with even a mathematical chance of getting ahead of Waikato FC and into top three play-off contention.

An early Leon Birnie goal gave Napier the lead and kept Birnie in second equal place with Jordan (one behind Young's 14) on the scoring list.

Canterbury equalised in the fifth minute through Jeff Fleming before Nick Hyde headed home a David Johnston corner to give the home side their halftime 2-1 lead.

Glen Collins equalised for the southerners in the 55th minute before substitute Martin Akers hit home a rebound for the winner.

How they're poised

With two rounds left:

* Auckland and Waitakere assured of spot in three-side playoffs.

* Waikato need just one more win to qualify.

* Wellington and Napier have a mathematical chance.