Football: WaiBOP clinch late winner

Striker Federico Marquez (right) scored a last gasp winning goal for WaiBOP United against Hawke's Bay. Photo / File

WaiBOP United threw a spanner in the works of Hawke's Bay United's playoff push on Sunday, with a dramatic late winner providing a 1-0 victory at Bluewater Stadium in Napier.

With a playoff berth just minutes away for Brett Angell's home side, Federico Marquez fired in beyond Hawke's Bay goalkeeper Josh Hill in the 90th minute to force the home side into a three-way battle for the playoffs next weekend.

Hawke's Bay will secure their playoff spot with a point in next Sunday's home match with Canterbury United, but a loss could see Waitakere United and the Wellington Phoenix leapfrog the side currently in third place.

On Sunday, the home side created enough chances to wrap up their playoff place but an early miss by leading scorer Sean Lovemore after a Billy Scott cut-back set the tone for what was to follow.

The visitors had their chances as well in the opening half, with Dylan Stansfield's header wide from a great position inside the six yard area on the 20-minute mark one of the best.

Soon after, Lovemore rounded WaiBOP goalkeeper Danyon Drake but the stopper recovered well to block a pass to Saul Halpin with the goal open.

The second half saw the home side again produce several chances to clinch their playoff spot. Halpin's 65th minute effort blazed over the crossbar while Drake again stood tall in the final 10 minutes - stopping goal-bound efforts from both Ryan Tinsley and Lovemore.

Drake's contributions proved crucial as Marquez pounced on the loose ball and fired in from the edge of the area as the game entered stoppage time, to at least delay Hawke's Bay confirmation in the semifinals until the final round.

Angell said Sunday's game was frustrating for his side, having created enough opportunities but, with Drake in top form and their own play slightly below their standards in recent weeks, they could not get the result they needed.

"Their goalkeeper was rightly made man-of-the-match," Angell said.

"But I didn't feel today we were as consistent with our passing and our movement as we have done previously.

"We didn't deserve to lose but that happens, and their only shot goes in, and sometimes it's a cruel game and today it was cruel for us."

Looking ahead to their final round clash with Canterbury, Angell says his side still sit in the box seat.

"At the end of the day, with the results as they have panned out, we're still in control of our own destiny and that's what we've got to do.

"Because we play Sunday and the others play Saturday, we're going to know a little bit more about what is that we need to do.

"If we win the game, we finish third and nobody else can go above us."