Soccer: Waikato's charge stalls with draw

Waikato FC's surge towards a national league soccer playoff berth stalled at Mount Maunganui today when they could only manage a 0-0 draw with Manawatu.

Waikato have the best record of any team in the New Zealand Football Championship (NZFC) over the last two months and had comfortably the better of a scrappy match at Links Ave against the competition's bottom-placed team.

However, they failed to find the back of the net, allowing a glimmer of hope for the teams looking to usurp Waikato from third place -- Canterbury United, Team Wellington and Otago United.

Waikato created the best chances of the game, Adam Crump heading into side netting from an early corner and Colin Gardyne scuffing a shot with his left foot from 5m out on the stroke of halftime.

Gardyne's speed created constant problems while Craig Flowerday and Che Bunce gave the Manawatu forward line little breathing space, although Peter Halstead nearly snatched a winner midway through the second spell but skied his shot.

Result: 0-0.

- NZPA