KEY POINTS:
Thank goodness for stoppage time was the universal call by the Auckland City faithful at Kiwitea St yesterday.
With their season in danger of unravelling, City's South African connection - stalwarts Grant Young and Keryn Jordan - managed to conjure a Houdini act of which the master escapologist would have been proud.
Level 2-2 with visiting Team Wellington with just 15 seconds of the four minutes of added time left, Young provided the pinpoint delivery and Jordan the far post finish to snatch a dramatic winner.
The win for the home team guaranteed them second place and home advantage for Saturday's rematch with Team Wellington in the New Zealand Football Championship preliminary final.
It also gives them a likely passage into another O-League campaign if Waitakere United, again crowned minor premiers with their 2-2 away draw with Otago United yesterday, go on to win the April 20 grand final.
Team Wellington coach Stu Jacobs said: "Nothing has changed. We are still two wins away from the O-League. Unfortunately after this result we now have to win twice in Auckland to do it."
Like many, Jacobs was puzzled with the amount of added time.
"No time was added in the first half," he said. "In the second there were no injury stoppages yet we had four minutes added. But, we should not be here saying 'what if.' We should have had the point we needed."
City coach Colin Tuaa was full of praise for his team who got up despite being a player short after Chad Coombes had been sent off for a second yellow card.
"It was a great effort from 10 players especially at the end of a hard week and the disappointment of missing out in the O-League game on Wednesday.
"It was great to see Keryn [Jordan] and Grant [Young] on the scoresheet today. They deserved it."
Sam Campbell gave the hosts the lead with a soft shot after 16 minutes, Darren Cheriton equalised four minutes later, Young put City back in front in the 40th minute.
The 69th minute equaliser was not without controversy. As Hester attempted to call the defensive wall back the mandatory 10 metres, and without whistling "play on," Raf de Gregorio ripped a freekick into the Auckland goal.
Goalkeeper Tamati Williams protested and was booked. But in the end he joined the celebrations.
Waitakere had to twice come from behind to claim the point they needed for the title.
In scoring YoungHeart Manawatu's solitary goal in their 5-1 home loss to Canterbury United (their second win of the season), Gouzalo Nieres took his season tally to 12 - and a share of the golden boot with Wellington's Graham Little.
Steven Holloway scored twice for Waikato FC as they finished 2-2 with Hawkes Bay United in Napier to take his goal count to nine - equal with Menapi.
