The play-off places in the ISPS Handa Premiership are now occupied mostly by sides from the City of Sails after Auckland City, Eastern Suburbs and Waitakere United all posted victories this weekend to boost their hopes of extending their respective seasons.

The only side hailing from outside the country’s largest city to currently hold a berth in the top four is Team Wellington, who also added to their tally with another three points and were joined in doing so by Tasman United.

But the team with most to celebrate was Eastern Suburbs, the defending champions turning on a scintillating display of attacking football in the baking Auckland heat to sweep Southern United aside 6-0. Martin Bueno led the way with a classy hat-trick while Michael Built, Reid Drake and Kelvin Kalua rounded out the scoring.

Suburbs are now in the midst of a very hot streak in front of goal, having found the net an impressive 15 times in their last three fixtures.

They still have some way to go to catch local rivals Auckland City though after the leaders extended their unbeaten run to 12 matches with a 3-1 success at home over Hamilton Wanderers. Emiliano Tade was on target for the Navy Blues for the first time since returning from his stint in South Africa and the Argentine was also at the heart of City’s second, whipping in a cross that was bundled into his own net by the unfortunate Matt Oliver.

And it wouldn’t be an Auckland City win these days without Myer Bevan getting on the scoresheet, the six-cap All White notching his 12^th goal of the campaign. Wanderers could only reply once late on through substitute George Ott but the silver lining is that they are still just three points off a play-off place.

They have been leap-frogged by Tasman United though, the South Islanders keeping in touch with the top four themselves by defeating Hawke’s Bay United 3-1 in Nelson. New Caledonia international Jean-Philippe Saiko did most of the damage with a double, striking either side of a Max Winterton effort.

The Bay’s sole response came very late on, Ahinga Selemani making the most of one of the last kicks of the game to dash Tasman’s hopes of keeping a clean sheet.

Team Wellington managed to record one in their capital derby against the Wellington Phoenix Reserves but had to wait a long time to ensure they would finally pick up three points. The deadlock was yet to be broken as the clock ticked into the sixth minute of additional time but the Phoenix then suffered heartbreak when a penalty was awarded against them for handball.

The Team Wellington players mob Jack-Henry Sinclair after his late penalty (Photosport)

Knowing he now carried Team Wellington’s hopes of earning an important victory on his shoulders, Jack-Henry Sinclair showed impressive composure to step up and tuck home the spot kick, preventing his second-placed side from falling further behind Auckland City.

Late drama was also the order of the day in the televised match in Christchurch, where Waitakere United came from behind to beat 10-man Canterbury United 2-1. Captain Tom Schwarz was making his 150^th appearance for Canterbury but did not mark the milestone in the manner he would have wanted, picking up a second yellow card to be dismissed shortly after half-time.

The Dragons responded well to that setback though, making light of their numerical disadvantage to take the lead soon after through Jacob Richards. But the match was later turned on its head in an eight-minute spell, Waitakere skipper Sam Burfoot finding an equaliser before New Zealand U-23 international Dane Schnell popped up to provide a winner, maintaining his side's top-four spot in the process. 

For the table and more information on the ISPS Handa Premiership please click here

ISPS Handa Premiership Match Week 12

Wellington Phoenix Reserves 0
Team Wellington 1 (Jack-Henry Sinclair pen 90 + 6’)
HT: 0-0

Eastern Suburbs 6 (Martin Bueno 9’, 47’, 53’, Michael Built 22’, Reid Drake 70’, Kelvin Kalua 78’)
Southern United 0
HT: 2-0

Tasman United 3 (Jean-Philippe Saiko 34’, 73’, Max Winterton 49’)
Hawke’s Bay United 1 (Ahinga Selemani 90 + 5’)
HT: 1-0

Auckland City 3 (Emiliano Tade 34’, own goal 44’, Myer Bevan 77’)
Hamilton Wanderers 1 (George Ott 84’)
HT: 2-0

Canterbury United Dragons 1 (Jacob Richards 55’)
Waitakere United 2 (Sam Burfoot 77’, Dane Schnell 85’)
HT: 0-0

Article added: Sunday 02 February 2020