Facundo Barbero top celebrates with penatly-kick goal scorer Saul Halpin today. PHOTO/Paul Taylor
A 10-man Hawke's Bay United came close to defying the odds to come away with three points today in Park Island, Napier.
But Canterbury United didn't give up, stealing a 1-1 equaliser in two minutes of added time to share the points against the Thirsty Whale-sponsored hosts at Bluewater Stadium in their Stirling Sports Premiership encounter.
The saviour for the visitors was "homeboy" Stephen Hoyle, a Napier City Rovers player in the Lotto Central League during winter, who tried not to get too carried away with celebrations alongside teammates.
The Finlay Milne-captained Bay side started the first 15 minutes with a hiss and a roar as Canterbury opted to sit back.
The Dragons, with a stiff wind behind them on a balmy day, asked two questions in the first half, both headers - one from Thomas Schwarz in the 21st minute that Bay United goalkeeper Joshua Hill beautifully parried with a dangling left arm to his left upright and the other, eight minutes later, came from striker Hoyle whose header clipped the crossbar with Hill beaten.
Ironically in the 35th minute Canterbury almost conceded an own goal through some misunderstanding between PNG international defender Felix Komolong and goalkeeper Daniel Knight after a ball was headed back.
In the 41st minute left wing Aaron Spain deftly pushed the ball into a net after receiving a through ball almost 30m out but somehow the referee's assistant on the far side of the park missed a country-mile offside but referee Campbell Waugh had the presence of mind to consult the flag bearer before overruling the visitors' premature celebrations.
A minute later Hill denied Juan Chang, who was on side from a similar through ball, before thwarting Chang from point-blank range, again by putting his body on the line.
Hill again came to the rescue in a minute of added time when Rovers English import Hoyle drew a foul and, from the ensuing play, ran along the left flank to receive a pass before crossing to Aaron Clapham but the Bay keeper wasn't going to have a bar of it.
Dragons coach Willy Gerdsen grilled referee Waugh in the tunnel as players went for a breather.
Twelve minutes into the second half Bay United midfielder Saul Halpin took a pot shot from almost 28m out but missed the target as the hosts mounted waves of attack.
Dragons midfielder Andre de Jong picked up a yellow card in the 60th minute for lacking subtlety in defence when he burrowed into a Bay player in an aerial challenge. He collected the card for throwing the ball at a Bay player in frustration.
Shortly after debutant striker Ben Everson, who was booked for a crude sprigs-up tackle early in the match, made way for Argentine Facundo Barbero.
Against the run of play, all hell broke loose in the 65th minute when defensive midfielder Martin Canales Ramos got a straight card for bringing down De Jong in what appeared to be inside the box on attack but the referee awarded a freekick at the edge of the box.
From the ensuing setplay, captain/midfielder Clapham clutched his head in disbelief as his shot curled over the wall but the ball agonisingly clipped the top, left perpendicular angle of the goalmouth to bounce out of harm's way.
It was Bay United coach Brett Angell's turn to bay for blood in the 74th minute when midfielder Brock Messenger tripped substitute Barbero from behind as he surged into the 18m box with just the keeper to beat.
Gerdsen replaced Spain with Roddy Lockhart.
Referee Waugh pulled out his red card but, after consulting his assistant, put it away for a yellow much to the Bay fans' disgust.
Halpin casually had keeper Daniel Knight diving the wrong way from the penalty kick for a 1-0 lead to Bay United.
It was Hill making another save in the 80th minute from a De Jong drive.
Angell went to the bench again, after injecting schoolboy Ross Willox for Kohei Matsumoto at rightback, with striker Angus Kilkolly replacing Halpin.
The referee drew more ire from the Bluewater Stadium crowd when he allowed play to carry on in a scramble for the ball from a cornerkick with keeper Hill coming off looking worse for wear.
Fourth official Matt Stoneman warned coach Angell, venting his spleen, who a fortnight ago was banished to the stands in the 4-2 loss to Team Wellington.
In the end, the game turned out to be a humdinger after earlier signs suggested it was going to be a scoreless stalemate.