Football: Six teams in NZ Premiership playoff hunt

Andy Bevin celebrates his winning goal for Team Wellington. Photo / Photosport

Six teams remain in the hunt for a playoff spot in the Stirling Sports Premiership after a relatively straightforward weekend.

The results went mostly by the formbook, with Team Wellington, Hawke's Bay United and Canterbury United claiming victories, and Waitakere United and Eastern Suburbs playing out a 1-1 draw.

Sitting out the round were Auckland City - having jetted overseas to play in a friendly tournament - but they remain in a strong position, sitting three points off the lead with two games in hand, while also holding the league's best goal difference.

The Premiership lead is shared by Wellington and Waitakere, with both sides benefiting from late goals to earn results.

Wellington trailed Hamilton Wanderers 2-1 with 15 minutes to go, but a red card to the aggressive Jordan Shaw reduced Wanderers to 10 men. Wellington took advantage, equalising in the 82nd minute through Guillermo Moretti, before Andy Bevin struck twice in injury time to seal a 4-2 win and remain atop the league.

They edge Waitakere on goal difference, who required a late penalty from Dylan Stansfield to take a point from their clash with Eastern Suburbs.

Suburbs opened the scoring through Sean Lovemore in the 33rd minute, but they couldn't cling to what would have been a vital win, leaving them in a mid-table logjam.

Suburbs sit in fourth, but just one point ahead of a chasing pack, with Hawke's Bay and Canterbury all jostling for the fourth and final playoff spot.

In their first game without suspended manager Brett Angell, Hawke's Bay held off last-placed Tasman United 3-2.

Four goals were scored in the first 20 minutes as Hawke's Bay took a 3-1 lead, and while Tasman pulled one back shortly after halftime, they weren't able to find an equaliser.

Canterbury's win was more comprehensive, easing to a 4-1 victory over the Wellington Phoenix Reserves.

Two goals to Stephen Hoyle were added to by Andre De Jong and an own goal to stay in the thick of the race.

The youthful Phoenix could have pulled within a point of the playoff spots with a win, but the competition's rules do not allow them to take part in the playoffs.​