Otago United’s charge towards the New Zealand Football Championship semi-finals continued with a hard-fought 3-1 win over Team Wellington in Dunedin, while Waikato FC’s upset 3-2 win over YoungHeart Manawatu ensures the race for fourth place remains wide open.

Third placed Otago United extended the gap between themselves and the pack to four points and may now be eyeing a return to the NZFC play-offs for the first time since the 2005-06 season.

Waikato FC climbed off the bottom of the table and into seventh place on 9 points with a come-from-behind 3-2 victory in Palmerston North, while Hawke’s Bay United’s match with Canterbury United was postponed due to a waterlogged and unplayable pitch.

On Saturday, leaders Auckland City and Waitakere United fought out an exciting 1-1 draw before a bumper crowd of 2,238 at Fred Taylor Park in Whenuapai. Both teams remain locked on 20 points, but Auckland still has two games in hand on their rivals and a superior goal difference.

At Carisbrook, Team Wellington took an early 1-0 lead courtesy of a Chris Davies header after just three minutes. Otago bounced back when a Ben Light snapshot levelled the scores on the half hour mark.

Team Wellington were hit by a sucker-punch two minutes into time added on when a long pass by Rhys Henderson found Dave Dugdale who provided a neat finish to give Otago a 2-1 halftime advantage. Ben Light put the game beyond the visitors with Otago’s third goal – and his second - in the 48th minute.

YoungHeart Manawatu were on course to consolidate fourth spot and add a little breathing room between themselves and Canterbury after a Daniel Benson screamer and a Seule Soromon chip pushed them two goals ahead of Waikato FC.

But a goal from transfer window signing Jeff Campbell four minutes after the break began a 25 minute goal-rush from Waikato, with Campbell equalising in the 69th minute and Michael Gwyther giving the visitors a 70th minute lead during a horror sixty seconds for the home team.

At Fred Taylor Park, Chad Coombes scored after 51 minutes as Auckland City secured a valuable point at Waitakere that stretched their unbeaten run to eight NZFC matches.

Waitakere defender Tim Myers pulled a goal back with 70 minutes played, but the hosts were forced to endure a Ryan de Vries close range miss with eight minutes left.

Both sides spurned gilt edged opportunities to claim victory and thus ensured the points were shared.

Hawke’s Bay United’s match with Canterbury United was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch that was deemed unplayable by match officials. The match will be rescheduled for a future date.

Next week’s fixtures see fifth placed Canterbury United host YoungHeart Manawatu in Christchurch with just 1 point separating the two teams. Canterbury now has one game in hand on their sixth placed rivals.

Fourth placed Team Wellington and Hawke’s Bay United will be eager to regain lost ground in the play-off chase when the capital men host bottom-placed Hawke’s Bay at Newtown Park.

Auckland City pays a visit to Waikato FC’s Centennial Park looking to extend their unbeaten streak while the hosts will be chasing their third NZFC win in a row. Otago United travel north to play second place Waitakere United.

Visit www.nzfc.co.nz for full previews, reviews and live in-game updates from all NZFC matches.

RESULTS           

Saturday

Waitakere United 1 (Tim Myers 70’)
Auckland City 1 (Chad Coombes 51’)
Halftime: 0-0
Attendance: 2,238
Sunday

*Hawke’s Bay United P
Canterbury United P
Halftime: P-P
*Match postponed due to waterlogged pitch at Park Island, Napier

Otago United 3 (Ben Light 31’, 48’, Dave Dugdale 45’+2)
Team Wellington 1 (Chris Davies 3’)
Halftime: 2-1

YoungHeart Manawatu 2 (Daniel Benson 17’, Seule Soromon 45’)
Waikato FC 3 (Jeff Campbell 49’, 69’, Michael Gwyther 70’)
Halftime: 2-0

Golden Boot

8- Seule SOROMON (YoungHeart Manawatu)

6- Leon BIRNIE (Hawke’s Bay United)

6- Greg DRAPER (Team Wellington)
5- Brent FISHER (Waitakere United)

5- Grant YOUNG (Auckland City)

3- Andrew ABBA (Hawke’s Bay United)

3- Dan PEAT (Waikato FC)

3- Dan EDE (Otago United)       

3- Matt WILLIAMS (Auckland City)

3- Tom LANCASTER (Canterbury United)

3- Russell KAMO (Canterbury United)

3- Dave DUGDALE (Otago United)        

Visit www.nzfc.co.nz for full previews, reviews and live in-game updates from all NZFC matches.

Lion Foundation Youth League
Round 2 –Results
Auckland
January 31 2010

Northern Conference

Saturday

Waitakere United 5 (Ryan De Vries 14, 29, 58; Jason Hicks 69, Dakota Lucas 90+2)
Auckland City  4 (James Hoyt 28, Rory Kelly 44, Tim Payne 80, Daniel Morgan 90+4)
Halftime: 2-2

Sunday

Hawke's Bay United 1 (Max Logan 30)
Auckland-Manukau 3 (Ross Havilland 55, Harrison Nash pen-80, George Konusi 86)
Halftime: 0-1

Northern Conference Standings

Next Week

Northern Conference

Saturday
Waitakere United v Waikato FC 
Fred Taylor Park, Whenuapai
2pm  

Sunday
Auckland City v Hawke's Bay United
Kiwitea street, Sandringham
2pm

Note: Southern Conference begins February 21