KEY POINTS:
Waitakere United continue to play their version of the quiz show What Happened Next in their chase for the New Zealand Football Championship.
The only trouble is everyone knows the answer.
Playing Team Wellington in the match of the 17th round at Trusts Stadium yesterday, United cruised to a 2-0 lead inside two minutes. They then headed into all-too-familiar territory by switching off and welcoming their opponents back into the game. The visitors closed to 2-1 and with Waitakere adding a third, 3-2 before the home side managed to win 4-2 but needing a couple of superb Simon Eaddy saves to achieve that.
The win, which leaves the Danny Hay-led side four points clear of YoungHeart Manawatu at the top of the table as they contemplate what could be the defining match of the season against Auckland City at Kiwitea St on Sunday, capped a good day for the West Aucklanders after their youngsters had beaten Team Wellington 5-2 in the curtainraiser.
That victory, in the third round of the Lion Foundation youth league, catapulted Waitakere to the top of the table on goal difference from Canterbury United and Auckland City with all three teams unbeaten.
Waitakere's joy became even greater after the NZFC clash between Hawkes Bay United and City at Park Island saw the points shared in a 2-2 draw which leaves City, the defending champions, eight points adrift but with a game (against Team Wellington) in hand.
The latecomers at Trusts Stadium missed a firecracker start as Commins Menapi headed home after good work from Allan Pearce and Craig Wylie inside two minutes and Menapi played a good ball into new signing Michael White, who carved through the Team Wellington defence to score a fifth-minute cracker.
In the 23rd minute Wiremu Patrick played in a freekick. In attempting to clear, Jason Rowley brought down Matt Adams. The penalty was hit home by Graham Little and four minutes later he was denied an equaliser by Eaddy.
The home side sealed it a minute into stoppage time when, from a Team Wellington corner, White and Sinkora broke away to provide the build-up and Menapi the finish for 4-2.
United coach Steve Cain said: "I'm happy with three points. The game was probably won in the opening 10 minutes. But, congratulations to Team Wellington. They came back well ... Given space, they can be the most dangerous team in the league."
Elsewhere, Canterbury edged home 1-0 over Waikato FC, Napier and Hawkes Bay drew 2-2, Otago United lost 1-0 to Manawatu. That was enough to keep Manawatu in second place and push Otago to the bottom of the table.
