Soccer: City United left to rue lack of finesse

Tauranga City United had the bulk of possession but lacked the poise and pace to do much about it in another frustrating Northern League stalemate yesterday on a sodden Links Ave reserve.

Tauranga split the points with lowly Manukau City, drawing 2-2 in a drab affair only ignited by the home side's inability to find the back of the net and the referee's reluctance to blow his whistle, despite being given every encouragement by angry home fans.

Connor Irvine put Tauranga into the lead - after Scott Doney and Tom Livesey both missed good chances - when a Jordan Culpepper cross from the right skewed across the face of the goal, with the livewire midfielder seizing his left-footed chance.

But Tauranga, who are out of the promotion race and now playing (and reportedly training) like a team going through the motions, would pay for their tardiness in front of goal, with Mangere's Marc Sly latching on to a failed clearance to level things.

With Doney and Livesey both continuing to make a meal of their chances up front, Manukau pounced midway through the half, with Rhys Ruka's speculator from just outside the area taking a wicked deflection into the net.

Squandered chances started to mount up - new signing Jason Walker headed over the bar from point blank and at final count, Livesey and Doney blew a hat-trick of chances each - but Culpepper had the final say when, picked out from 30m by Irvine, he skirted past defender Hone Fowler, with his low drive evading the despairing dive of Sergio Bustos and ricocheting in off the post.

Josh Nelson earned a booking and Culpepper was also shown yellow for retaliating after being hacked down inside the penalty area by Kwesi Dadzie, with the referee also ignoring a big handball from defender Billy McClure.

North Shore United won yesterday's only other game in division two, 3-0 over Warkworth.

In Saturday's league action, league leaders Hibiscus Coast showed their first sign of wobbles with a 4-3 loss to Waiuku, although it hardly dented their march towards the club's first-ever silverware and they're still only a win away from gaining promotion.

Mangere United eased past relegation-bound Papakura City 2-0, Matamata and Western Springs were deadlocked 1-1 and Fencibles United downed Onehunga Mangere 2-1.