Soccer: Upsets tie top of standings in knots

Auckland's Chad Coombes, left, and Canterbury's Andrew Barron compete for the ball on Saturday at Kiwitea St. Picture / Getty Images

Waitakere United blew the chance to take an early outright lead in the New Zealand Football Championship when they were dumped 1-0 by Otago United at Dunedin's Caledonian Ground yesterday.

That upset followed Auckland City's surprise 3-2 loss to Canterbury United 24 hours earlier to leave a log-jam at the top of the table heading into week four. Five teams have six points with City holding top spot on goal difference.

City coach Allan Jones, adamant talk of his team being a hot favourite to retain their title was premature, was philosophical after Saturday's game at Kiwitea St.

"I'm not surprised that Canterbury won," said Jones. "I have said all along they have a very good team, and you saw that out there today."

It rates as one of the best games seen at this level. Played at pace and with width, it was a stirring open contest soured only by Chad Coombes' dismissal 10 minutes into the second spell.

He could blame only himself for the stupidity which left referee Neil Fox with no option.

From the outset it seemed Coombes had taken a double dose of his angry pills.Coombes rode Fox's patience from the outset when he was booked after eight minutes for kicking the ball away.

With that card hanging over him he should have been more circumspect but wasn't, and when he bundled a Canterbury player out of play with a crazy challenge he was on his way.

City had taken the early lead when Grant Young provided the 10th-minute finish after a good cross from Keryn Jordan. Within three it was locked up when Brent Fisher, at the far post, neatly headed home.

The visitors, making the most of the extra player, took the lead for the first time 19 minutes into the second half. Just seconds after entering the game, Ashley Short beat everyone with a 25m screamer after Ross Nicholson had punched a corner kick clear.

Defensive uncertainty handed City an own goal and some hope with 10 minutes to play after substitute Paul Urlovic had played the ball in, but the last say was with the visitors and Fisher, who headed home the 88th-minute winner.

Fisher and Andrew Barron, who provided a ton of pace on Canterbury's right, were outstanding and must have impressed Knights boss John Adshead and All Whites assistant coach Brian Turner.

YoungHeart Manawatu swamped Hawkes Bay United 4-1 in Napier after leading 3-1 at halftime. Taking the lead inside two minutes when Alik Maemae scored, the visitors never let up. Commins Menapi added his team's second after seven minutes. Jason Hayne gave the struggling home side some hope when he got one back in the 15th minute, but those celebrations were short-lived as Campbell Banks re-established the two-goal advantage two minutes later.

Menapi scored the only goal of the second spell as Manawatu joined the gaggle of teams on six points with two from three.

Waitakere went south with a perfect two-from-two but were soon under pressure and never got into it.

The outcome was decided in the 64th minute when striker Blair Scoullar swooped to score the only goal of the match and give Otago United the points.

There was a touch of deja vu at Newtown Park yesterday as Team Wellington came back from 0-2 to beat Waikato FC 4-2.

A week earlier, Wellington had led 2-0 but were beaten 3-2 by Waitakere.

Jakub Sinkora had Waikato ahead with goals in the 28th and 31st minute. Brian Little got one back before the break and David Johnston got the home side level 2-2 three minutes into the second spell. Substitute Peter Halstead scored with his first touch in the 80th minute and added another two minutes later.