KEY POINTS:
Team Wellington clung on for a point against heavyweights Auckland City, as both sides continued their unbeaten start to the season.
Auckland retained their one-point lead over Wellington at the top of the table but their capital rivals have a game in hand.
It's still too early to
say if Wellington will be title contenders this season, especially as they face O-League champions Waitakere United in their catch-up match next weekend, but they have made an encouraging start under new coach Stu Jacobs.
"We'll take the point. It's the sort of point that wins leagues," Jacobs said.
Auckland dominated the early stages yesterday but Wellington opened the scoring through a blistering shot from Wiremu Patrick.
Auckland should have levelled things on the stroke of halftime but Keryn Jordan had his penalty brilliantly saved by Phil Imray.
The visitors dominated the second spell and scored the equaliser through skilful Argentinian Eliezer Anello in the 51st minute.
It seemed only a matter of time before they found a winner, as Wellington struggled to get out of their penalty box, let alone their own half, but held on.
"I feel it's two points we've given away," Auckland coach Colin Tuaa said. "In the second half, we dominated but we just weren't clinical enough. Overall, I have to be pleased with where we are after seven games."
In yesterday's other match, Waitakere United finally subdued a defensively-minded Otago United 4-0.
Most were expecting a goalfest - although perhaps not as much as the 8-0 scoreline when these two sides last met - because of the gulf in class. Waitakere were last season's NZFC runners-up, while Otago are now on a 23-game winless streak.
Commins Menapi scored the first goal in the 65th minute and added a second eight minutes later with a stunning strike. Jake Butler and Daniel Koprivcic rounded out the scoring.
In today's matches, Waikato host Hawke's Bay and Manawatu are at home to Canterbury.
* Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert says his side will not change their approach, despite the fact their slim chances of making the A-League playoffs were effectively killed off on Friday night.
The Phoenix drew 1-1 with second-placed Queensland, drawing them level on points with Melbourne but still five points off the playoffs before last night's Sydney-Perth match. They have four more games this season.
"The top four is something everyone else has been talking about, not us," Herbert said. "It's not really a consideration for me. We will carry on doing what we have done since day one and that's building a football club and putting in credible performances.
"We will continue to make life difficult for anyone in the league and grab as many wins as we can."
The club's next match is at Newcastle on December 30. They will train twice next week before Christmas and return on Boxing Day. Tim Brown will be available for the next game but Daniel is out, having flown to Brazil for the birth of his first child.
NZFC
* Team Wellington 1
* Auckland City 1
