Canterbury Win Big As Top Two Extend Lead
By Jeremy Ruane

The dominant teams in the NZ Football Championship, Auckland City and Waitakere United, extended their advantage at the top of the table in round eleven action on February 7, although they recorded contrasting victories to do so.

Canterbury United captured the headlines at English Park however, literally hitting Youngheart Manawatu for six to climb into the play-off placings and give their goal difference a healthy boost, something a 6-0 rout is bound to do.

As the scoreline suggests, it was one-way traffic in Christchurch, with Canterbury three goals to the good at half-time thanks to the efforts of Paul Dirou, Matt Boyd and Darren Overton.

Manawatu’s cause, already forlorn, suffered further five minutes into the second spell when Cory Chettleburgh was sent off. This prompted another three goal flurry, this time in a six-minute spell just after the hour mark, with Tom Lancaster netting prior to Aaron Clapham bagging a brace of goals.

The visitors’ fifth straight defeat - and Canterbury’s biggest-ever victory - would have been even more sizable had Ross Nicholson not made a string of saves to deny the home team in the final twenty minutes, but Manawatu, who were well in the running for a play-off spot not too long ago, are now facing a battle to avoid the wooden spoon.

Until recently, Waikato FC appeared to have a mortgage on that particular “honour”, but successive wins put them in a frame of mind to upset Auckland when the reigning champions visited Centennial Park.

The home team twice went close to opening the scoring through Alex Barlow in first half stoppage time - Jacob Spoonley prevailed on each occasion, but the ‘keeper was beaten all ends up seven minutes into the second half as Mark Jones put Waikato in front.

Auckland are unbeaten on New Zealand soil for nigh on a year now, and the prospect of coming unstuck against what has been a bogey team for them urged them on to greater efforts, which ultimately secured a come-from-behind 2-1 win.

Ki Hyung Lee levelled matters with a twenty-yard free-kick on the hour, and Grant Young clinched the points nine minutes from time with a well-taken volleyed finish to seal another win for the table-toppers in a match which saw seven players booked.

Waitakere kept pace with City at the top of the table as Otago United again capitulated in the Queen City heat, this time 4-0 at Fred Taylor Park. Jake Butler gave the home team the ideal start after eight minutes, and hit the post with a header just shy of the half-hour mark after Dave Dugdale had squandered a glorious chance to level matters on the scoreboard.

After squandering two terrific openings early in the second half, Roy Krishna finally got the equation right just shy of the hour mark to double Waitakere’s lead, after which Otago once again wilted in the unforgiving Auckland heat.

Benjamin Totori and Neil Emblen took full advantage to double the co-leaders’ lead inside the final ten minutes, with the former being denied another goal by the offside flag in stoppage time.

Team Wellington’s woeful home form continues to haunt them, with Hawkes Bay United the latest team to leave Newtown Park with three points to their name after George Barbarouses’ goal four minutes into the second half secured a 1-0 victory for the visitors, who vaulted from eighth place into sixth with this welcome win.

The scorer had the best chance to break the deadlock in the first half, only to be denied by a superb James Bannatyne save, but the ‘keeper couldn’t keep out the deflected effort which ultimately decided the contest.

Greg Draper twice went close close to bringing about parity for Wellington. United ‘keeper Richard Gillespie denied him with a stunning save just after the hour mark, while giant defender Stuart Ferguson’s timely tackle thwarted the striker twenty minutes from time.

A combination of OFC Champions League and NZFC matches dominate the next couple of weekends, with the domestic competition enjoying a split twelfth round of action.

The only NZFC fixture taking place next weekend sees Waitakere looking to be the latest team to secure three points from a visit to Wellington’s Newtown Park on Valentine’s Day.

Meanwhile, O-League champions Auckland head to Papeete to take on AS Manu Ura in a 7pm Saturday affair, NZ time, while other O-League fixtures next weekend see Hekari Souths United and Tafea FC clashing on Saturday, and Lautoka entertaining Marist FC on Sunday.

Round Eleven details:

Canterbury United 6 (P. Dirou (24), D. Overton (34), M. Boyd (42), T. Lancaster (61), A. Clapham (64, 67)), Youngheart Manawatu 0 HT 3-0

Team Wellington 0, Hawkes Bay United 1 (G. Barbarouses (49)) HT 0-0

Waikato FC 1 (M. Jones (52)), Auckland City 2 (K. Lee (60), G. Young (81)) HT 0-0

Waitakere United 4 (J. Butler (8), R. Krishna (58), B. Totori (81), N. Emblen (83)), Otago United 0 HT 1-0

In Lion Foundation National Youth League Northern Conference action, Waitakere United continued on their winning way on Saturday with an emphatic 7-1 victory over Waikato FC at Fred Taylor Park.

Dakota Lucas led the charge for the victors with two goals on a day Aresh Sadeghi, Ryan de Vries, Zane Sole, Kelly Martin and Jade Mesias also chimed in. Tewi Te Pou provided Waikato’s lone moment of joy eight minutes from time.

Sunday’s fare saw NYL title-holders Auckland City score a 3-0 win over Hawkes Bay United at Kiwitea Street, with goals from Jacob Hall and Haider Jabir inside the first twelve minutes killing off a contest which was wrapped up by Rory Kelly’s goal early in the second half.

Next weekend’s action sees the clash of the unbeaten teams on Saturday, with Auckland-Manukau United enjoying home advantage against Waitakere at Riverhills Park, while on Sunday Waikato entertains Auckland City at Centennial Park.