By TERRY MADDAFORD
Grant Young's hat-trick sparked Auckland City to their best win of the season, with their 5-0 trouncing of Canterbury United giving his team the perfect dress rehearsal for next weekend's top-of-the-table clash with Waitakere United.
From the time Paul Urlovic put City ahead just six minutes into yesterday's game at Kiwitea St, there was only one side in it. For a team who arrived in Auckland for their first NZ Football Championship outing in the city - just six days after holding Waitakere to a 0-0 draw - and unbeaten in five outings, the red and blacks were disappointing.
City, who were just as ineffective against Otago United a week earlier at the same ground, were a revelation. Gone was the hesitant, pedestrian effort which cost them their unbeaten record.
This time they took the initiative and never let go.
Urlovic's early goal sparked virtual all-out attack with Neil Sykes, Young, Liam Mulrooney, Jonathan Smith, James Pritchett and later Reg Davani all joining the cause.
The three-man Canterbury defence struggled to match the pace, despite keeping the home side at bay for 37 minutes between the first and second goals.
A well-directed Ross Nicholson clearance found Pritchett who headed neatly on to Young who provided the finish for 2-0. In first-half stoppage time, Sykes pounced on a loose ball to score for a halftime score of 3-0.
City got the start they wanted again in the second spell when referee Ian Walker awarded a 48th minute penalty for hand ball. Young converted. The fifth goal, in the 75th minute, was a classic. Davani charged from midfield, broke a half-hearted tackle, got deep before pulling the ball back to Smith, who touched on to Young to provide the finish.
Waitakere appear to have lost their early-season momentum. After cruising to four good wins, they dropped their first points in Christchurch last week and on Friday night spent much of their match in Palmerston North locked in a dogfight before getting up to beat YoungHeart Manawatu 2-1 - that only after a late Keryn Jordan penalty.
The sixth round is completed this afternoon in Dunedin with Otago United and Waikato FC in with a chance of moving into the all-important top three.
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
Latest from Sport
The external factors in Fox's tilt in unusual event
Fox will partner a fellow Presidents Cup hopeful in an unusual tournament.