Football: Tauranga City take clear lead on table

Belvedere Group Tauranga City United have gone clear at the top of the Northern League Second Division table following their 5-0 demolition of Claudelands Rovers in Hamilton on Saturday.

It was the Blues' first game without striker Jack McNab and doubts were raised before the match about how they would perform without him.

Andrew Cooper answered in emphatic fashion, claiming a hat-trick in his new role of target man.

The visitors were quick to make their intentions known, with Jerahl Hughes doing damage down the right before squaring for Jordan Culpepper to slot home the first goal.

Relentless pressure resulted in a second goal, in the 35th minute, when Hughes again beat the home defence to lay on a pass for Cooper.

Cooper's second came a minute later and what a goal it was. Starting from a long throw from City's keeper Tom Pamment, the ball found Nathan Farey who made a strong run up the right hand side before firing a cross for Cooper to put away.

The visitors could have been up 4-0 at the break had it not been for a missed Hughes penalty, with the fourth eventually coming in the 68th minute when Hughes, put through by a superb ball from Roach, weaved his way through the Claudelands defence before placing a shot wide of the keeper.

Cooper's third came again from a Hughes pass, giving him his first hat-trick of the season.

The game was effectively over then so coach Duncan Lowry took the opportunity to replace Cooper and Hughes with Jack Chaney and Will Clague respectively.

It was a commanding win by the Blues, who totally dominated the match, leaving only a few scraps for the home side who rarely threatened the visitors' goal.

Tauranga now sit three points clear on the table, helped by a loss suffered by second-placed Waiuku, who went down 4-3 away to Onehunga Mangere.

The Blues next match is against Onehunga Mangere at Links Avenue on Sunday

Tauranga City United 5 (Jordan Culpepper, Andrew Cooper 3, Jerahl Hughes) Claudelands Rovers 0.