KEY POINTS:
A round of less-than-enthralling soccer - in which the top four teams beat the bottom four - was given some life by some questionable refereeing and a handful of second half goals.
Second half rallies by Auckland City, Waitakere United, Team Wellington - the only teams in the
NZ Football Championship race - and Hawkes Bay United got them home but without any real conviction.
The results have, however, set up a potential title-decider with leaders Auckland City away to second-placed Waitakere United on Sunday in the first match of the season at United's traditional Trusts Stadium home.
City will travel on the back of the 2-0 win they scored over Otago United at the Croatian Cultural Society ground yesterday. The hosts dominated for long periods and were clearly ahead (10-2) on the corner count but needed a controversially-awarded penalty (and that took a kind bounce off the bottom of the post) and a late goal to secure their 14th win of the season.
The first half was ordinary. While Otago did not go out determined to defend with most players behind the ball, they rarely looked like scoring.
But the real talking point was referee Chris Kerr and not only for his decision to wear an all-black uniform which, on a couple of occasions, led to confusion for City players in their traditional all-dark blue strip.
In his first rash call, Kerr sent City defender George Suri off for a tackle on Otago midfielder Mike Eisenhut. To all but the referee it appeared a yellow card offence at worst.
Within six minutes, Kerr then, from a 63rd minute City corner, awarded them a penalty.
Player-coach Terry Phelan was booked for his protestations. Bryan Little banged his spot shot on to the bottom of the post but found some joy when it ricocheted over the line.
The scoring was completed seven minutes from time when Tamati Williams, gathering from Otago's second corner, threw long. The ball was played through to Jakub Sinkora who rifled home.
"We got cheated out of the game. They didn't claim the penalty. The crowd didn't claim the penalty," said Phelan later.
"The only person who thought it was a penalty was the referee."
Waitakere made hard work of their Saturday win over Canterbury.
Commins Menapi's strike a couple of minutes into the second spell decided an otherwise less-than-memorable game at North Harbour Stadium.
There was action aplenty in Palmerston North as Auckland referee Steve Fletcher dished out two penalties, both converted, four yellow cards for home side YoungHeart Manawatu and stoppage-time red cards to Daniel Aliaga (Manawatu) and Hawkes Bay's Sam Jenkins.
After leading 1-0 at halftime, the Bay eventually sneaked home 3-2 after Gouzalo Nieres had levelled it 2-2 from the spot at 90 minutes only to be undone a minute later by a Chris Greatholder strike.
Team Wellington beat Waikato FC 2-0 at home in a dull Saturday affair to remain in contention.