KEY POINTS:
Team Wellington coach Stu Jacobs and his players will be happy to see the back of Waitakere United.
After winning the New Zealand Football Championship season opener against Chris Milicich's United 2-1 away, Team Wellington, who set the early pace, have slumped to 5-1 and yesterday, in a match brought forward from round 14, 1-0 home losses to the West Aucklanders.
Despite that, the Capital side remain in third place and a shot's eye for the three-team play-offs but needing to overhaul Waitakere and leaders Auckland City to get back on top.
City, in another game brought forward, beat cellar-dwellers Canterbury United 3-0 away yesterday to retain their one-point lead over Waitakere with Team Wellington now three points further back in third place.
Jacobs might feel a little peeved after yesterday's loss at Newtown Park, when, at 0-0 in the 51st minute, what appeared a decent shout for a penalty after Graham Little was brought down by Waitakere's Neil Emblen was waved away by referee Peter O'Leary.
Jacobs' frustration grew when O'Leary later sent off his captain, Adam Birch, in the 72nd minute. The home side also had three players booked while the visitors emerged unscathed.
Waitakere held the upper hand through the first half with half chances to Commins Menapi, Danny Hay and Benjamin Totori who twice tested Wellington goalkeeper Phil Imray.
Jacobs, as early as the 36th minute, rang the changes in an attempt to unlock the United defence but, apart from the cry for a penalty, rarely threatened to embarrass Waitakere goalkeeper Simon Eaddy.
The deadlock was not broken until the 88th minute when Totori rounded late substitute Cole Tinkler and then drove the ball hard and low through Imray's fingers.
It was, overall, a better effort than Waitakere produced in their pre-Christmas romp and even in beating Waikato FC 2-0 a week earlier.
In contrast, Auckland City needed no late heroics at English Park.
After absorbing early pressure from the visitors, Canterbury had the chance to go ahead in the 14th minute but Rhodri Payne fired wide. A minute later the now clear golden boot leader Bryan Little had the visitors in front when he tapped home a ball played square by Grant Young.
After turning at 1-0, City quickly doubled their lead when Young headed home a Jeff Campbell corner. The scoring was completed eight minutes from time when, following a great run and cross from Chad Coombes which was missed by defender Bill Robertson, Young was on hand to fire home his second of the match.
The status quo is unlikely to change this weekend with City at home to struggling Otago United, Waitakere away to hapless Canterbury and Team Wellington back at Newtown Park to play Waikato FC in what should be a reasonable test.
YoungHeart Manawatu will attempt to bounce back from their embarrassing 8-0 home loss to Team Wellington in entertaining fourth-placed Hawkes Bay United.
