Football: Waitakere and Canterbury make winning starts

Waitakere United's goalkeeper Danny Robinson. Photo / Brett Phibbs.

Waitakere United and Canterbury United both got off to winning starts in the ASB Premiership with home-wins today.

Five-time champions Waitakere climbed out of a 2-0 hole to claim a 3-2 victory over Wanderers SC at Fred Taylor Park, while a goal in each half was enough for Canterbury United to see off WaiBOP United at ASB Football Park in Christchurch.

Goals inside the first 20 minutes to Regont Murati and Andre de Jong had the squad of players preparing for the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand ahead but the home side steadied and hauled themselves back level before the break thanks to goals from Tom Biss and former All White David Mulligan.

Another former All White, defender Andy Boyens, completed the turnaround with a 61st minute header from a corner.

The Wanderers side lept out of the blocks in the early going and got on the board first in just the sixth minute; Murati sliding the ball home under Danny Robinson in the Waitakere goal. The youngsters' great start was boosted further when De Jong doubled their lead 12 minutes later, skipping beyond two Waitakere defenders and tucking the ball home.

The home side rebounded before the halftime interval and pulled one back as Tom Biss followed up a parried effort from Futsal Whites player Dylan Manickum to get Waitakere going.

Mulligan pounced on a loose ball five minutes from the break to restore parity between the sides and when Boyens headed in from the set piece just after the hour mark, the comeback was complete.

Sean Devine's Canterbury side defended home turf as Tom Schwarz powered in a 28th minute header and Dylan Stansfield added an insurance goal to grind past a gritty WaiBOP side.

Canterbury's opener came as Schwarz, a member of the two-time defending ASB Chatham Cup winning Cashmere Technical side, headed in a freekick mid-way through the opening 45 minutes.

As they began the second half a goal down, WaiBOP saw several chances come and go as Sam O'Regan, former Canterbury United player Federico Marquez and Chad Coombes all had openings in the first 10 minutes but couldn't profit.

They were made to pay for those misses as Stansfield's header, from a Roussin Nkoy cross, provided a buffer the home side didn't need in the end as the visitors couldn't find a way back into the match in the final 30 minutes.