The remarkable winning run of defending champions Auckland City has been extended while there was an eye-catching pair of results elsewhere as a thrilling start to the new year continued in the ISPS Handa Premiership this afternoon.

After an entertaining 4-1 win at Hawke’s Bay United, Auckland have now not lost since December of 2017 – and that was actually an on-field win that was later overturned due to the fielding of an ineligible player – while they have not even dropped a point since last February. Their latest success means they have now opened up a 12-point gap over the side they beat in last season’s final after third-placed Team Wellington were held to a 2-2 draw on their eventful visit to Tasman United.

At the other end of the table, the Wellington Phoenix Reserves finally had something to celebrate by notching the first win of their campaign, 2-0 over Waitakere United on the road.

Auckland City are much more accustomed to that winning feeling though and deservedly notched another triumph in Napier, despite skilful Solomon Islands international Micah Lea’alafa spurning a couple of glorious opportunities early on. The pint-sized playmaker closed down Hawke’s Bay goalkeeper Alexander Britton in just the second minute and had the goal at his mercy but somehow blazed over the ball from point-blank range. He then had another chance from the penalty spot after David Browne was felled but Britton pulled off an outstanding save low to his right.

The Navy Blues would not be denied for much longer though, Jordan Vale teeing up Fabrizio Tavano to bend a low effort into the far corner mid-way through the first half. Lea’alafa then made up for his earlier wastefulness in the opening stages of the second stanza, heading in at the near post after a sumptuous step-over and cross from Browne.

The Bay got back into the contest when Sam Mason-Smith found the top corner soon after but Jordan Vale restored Auckland’s two-goal buffer and Browne added one more for good measure late on.

“At 2-1, we were well in the game but unfortunately we had too many mistakes at the back and could have taken a couple of chances ourselves so it was disappointing,” admitted Mason-Smith.

Fellow goal-scorer Vale was satisfied with City’s display but insists they are not getting carried away with their golden run.

“We had a game plan coming into it and I thought what we delivered was pretty spot on,” he said.

“There’s a very positive feeling in the group but we still have that mentality where we’re just looking to take it one game at a time. We’re not thinking about how many wins we’ve had in a row, we don’t want to let that get to us and get too comfortable.”

Earlier in the day, Team Wellington missed the opportunity to put any sort of pressure on leaders Auckland after failing to claim all three points on their trip across the Cook Strait to Blenheim. Having suffered a shock defeat at home to Waitakere last week, Wellington were looking to return to winning ways but now have a mini form slump on their hands.

A healthy crowd gathered at Lansdowne Park and the Marlborough locals would not have felt short-changed in their rare taste of national league football after witnessing a whirlwind finish. The action was fairly conventional for most of the match and Wellington appeared to be heading for a much-needed three points after Angus Kilkolly gave the visitors a first-half lead.

But a wealth of drama was packed into the closing stages, Ahmed Othman finishing an inch-perfect Alex Ridsdale cross to equalise in the 85^th minute before Kilkolly seemed to have struck the match-winner for Wellington in time added on. But Tasman were determined to take something from the match and were level again almost immediately through an Othman screamer.

Tasman had been reduced to ten men just before the sides swapped goals in stoppage time as Joe Ellul – a recent arrival from Braintree Town in the English fifth tier – received his marching orders in an altercation that also brought bookings for several other players.

There wasn’t as much drama up in Auckland but the Phoenix won’t care after finally getting some points on the board. The confidence of Waitakere would have been sky high after their win over Team Wellington but they couldn’t continue in the same vein as they were undone by a pair of quick-fire goals just before the hour, Benjamin Waine and Kieran Richards both pouncing to ensure the flight back to the capital would be a happy one for the ‘WeeNix’.

On Saturday, a Garbhan Coughlan hat-trick gave Southern United a 3-1 home win over Hamilton Wanderers, whose sole response was provided by Xavier Pratt.

Second-placed Eastern Suburbs also had a big win to celebrate, underlining their title credentials by sweeping aside fellow contenders Canterbury United 5-1. Andre de Jong hit a double while Michael Built, Dominic Wooldridge and Callum McCowatt also got on the scoresheet in a superb second-half showing from the hosts. George King had actually given Canterbury a one-goal lead at the break but they had no answer for Suburbs rampant attack after the restart.

For the ISPS Handa Premiership table and other information please click here

ISPS Handa Premiership Match Week 13

Southern United 3 (Garbhan Coughlan 14’, 24’, 31’)
Hamilton Wanderers 1 (Xavier Pratt 23’)
HT: 3-1

Eastern Suburbs 5 (Andre de Jong 49’, 62’, Michael Built 71’, Dominic Wooldridge 76’, Callum McCowatt 88’)
Canterbury United Dragons 1 (George King 20’)
HT: 0-1

Waitakere United 0
Wellington Phoenix Reserves 2 (Benjamin Waine 55’, Kieran Richards 59’)
HT: 0-0

Tasman United 2 (Ahmed Othman 85’, 90+3’)
Team Wellington 2 (Angus Kilkolly 21’, 90+3’)
HT: 0-1

Hawke’s Bay United 1 (Sam Mason-Smith 58’)
Auckland City 4 (Fabrizio Tavano 22’, Micah Lea’alafa 47’, Jordan Vale 67’, David Browne 90+3’)
HT: 0-1

Article added: Sunday 20 January 2019