Soccer: Waitakere on target for title

Waitakere United moved a step closer to the national soccer league title with a 4-2 win over Waikato in Auckland today.

Leading 3-0 after 30 minutes, Waitakere made hard work of defending their lead.

A Matt Williams penalty after 39 minutes gave Waikato some hope and 10 minutes later an unlikely comeback looked on the cards when Michael Mayne scored with a fine left-foot effort from just outside the box.

Waitakere regained control in the second and dominated possession but had to wait until the 90th minute to seal the win when Daniel Koprivcic pounced to finish a rebound from a Commins Menapi shot.

In Napier, Hawke's Bay United almost certainly ended Canterbury United's chances of making the New Zealand Football Championship top three playoffs with a 2-1 win.

With just five rounds left in the regular season Canterbury needed a win to keep the pressure on the top three.

Instead, goals from David Gearey and Chris McIvor helped bottom of the table Hawke's Bay to their first win in 10 games.

Canterbury's consolation goal was scored by Brent Fisher.

Auckland made the trip to Dunedin and came away with a hard earned 2-1 win.

James Pritchett and Keryn Jordan gave Auckland a 2-0 lead but an 85th-minute goal from Cameron Richardson offered Otago real hope of causing another major upset.

Andy Coburn went close to an equaliser but his injury time header from a Terry Phelan corner flashed just wide of the post.

- NZPA