Football: WaiBOP see red then go on to lose it

WaiBOP United attacker Jerahl Hughes, right, and team-mates lost to Hawke's Bay United on Saturday. Photo / File

WaiBOP's hopes of moving into a position to stake a playoffs claim in the ASB Premiership were left shattered at Rotorua International Stadium on Saturday.

Following last weekend's 2-0 televised triumph over Wellington Phoenix there were high hopes among the WaiBOP players and coaches ahead of the clash with Hawke's Bay United.

But the 4-2 defeat will be hard to swallow for coach Peter Smith's team.

WaiBOP got back to 2-2 in the 57th minute after Chad Coombes scored but a straight red card given to new import Craig Wylie turned the game the visitors' way.

They scored twice in the final 20 minutes to secure the points.

Wylie had given WaiBOP a 14th-minute lead with a quality free-kick but they trailed Hawke's Bay 2-1 at halftime after goals to captain Ross Haviland and Sean Lovemore.

Coombes said he felt his side started well but Wylie's dismissal and his side's reaction to it was key in the outcome.

"The first 25 minutes I thought we started where we left off against the Phoenix," Coombes said.

"We were rolling the ball around and we were quite confident and scored a goal.

"But that goal almost came at a bad time because I think we dropped our standards and stopped playing our game and we dug ourselves a hole."

WaiBOP United 2 (Craig Wylie 22', Chad Coombes 57') Hawke's Bay United 4 (Ross Haviland 29', Sean Lovemore 41', 72', Ryan Tinsley 75').