LATE PENALTY GETS AUCKLAND HOME

AGAINST WAIKATO

by Bruce Holloway at Waikato Stadium
nzfc.co.nz

Waikato FC coach Roger Wilkinson felt cheated by a home 2-3 loss to New Zealand Football Championship title favourites Auckland City today.

By contrast, his Auckland City counterpart, Colin Tuua, felt it would have been an injustice if his team had not won at Waikato Stadium.

It was that sort of match, with enough incidents for the partisan to argue any proposition.

Auckland looked a million dollars as they strolled to a 2-0 lead, but then, in perhaps overdosing on their own superiority complex, needed a slightly fortuitous penalty to finally crush a stirring second-half Waikato revival and continue their unbeaten run.

Bryan Little put Auckland ahead in the 11th minute when he capitalised on some clever play from Grant Young, who turned and dinked a ball over the top for him to easily run through the middle and score.

Auckland then made it 2-0 when Waikato failed to deal with an inswinging corner from Ki-Hung Lee and Ben Sigmund nutted home after the ball was nodded back into him inside the six-yard box.

But Waikato, who had been hopelessly outplayed in all departments in the first spell, but particulalry down the right flank, struck back early in the second half.

Skipper Rob Gill should have scored when played in by Jakub Sinkora just after half time, but Tamati Williams saved with his legs.

However seconds later Waikato right back Aaron Scott muscled into the penalty box from the right and was upended by Craig Wylie. Gill put the resultant penalty into the net and it was game on.

Then, in the 67th minute Sam Wilkinson tied the game up with Waikato’s best move and the goal of the game. Waikato attacked down the left, with Gill expertly picking out Sinkora in the middle with a low cross. He teed it up for Wilkinson, who lashed it into the net from just inside the area.

Having already been booked, Wilkinson was on thin ice when he celebrated by gesticulating at some Auckland fans who had been niggling at him all afternoon.

The fourth official argued a case for a second booking for Wilkinson, but referee Nick Waldron thought better of it.

It was a bittersweet afternoon for Wilkinson, who had been with Auckland for the previous two seasons.

"Scoring that goal exorcised a lot of demons," he said. "But in the final analysis when you’ve lost the match it hardly matters."

Substitute Luiz Del Monte created several late chances for Auckland down the right flank, but the winning goal came from an unexpected quarter.

Five minutes from time the ball bounced unexpectedly in the area and struck Shaun Van Rooyen on the arm.

Little sweetly pocketed the resultant penalty kick in Dan Robinson’s right hand corner.

"I felt cheated," Roger Wilkinson said. "We had the same sort of penalty shout against Waitakere by the same ref and it was turned down.

"I was looking at 2-2 and thinking, 'let’s try (Steven) Holloway’s ankle out and see if we can win it'. Then that happens.

"But in many ways our season started with our second half showing. We showed a bit of character."

"We don’t have to be scared of anyone in this league."

Tuaa saw it differently.

"It was a fair result. We did well in the first half, then had a few things go against us," he said, pointing to the fact Auckland were reduced to 10 men with Grant Young receiving treatment when Wilkinson equalised.

"I was pleased with the way we were passing the ball around. At 2-0 up I was thinking we could have won 4-0."

Tuaa singled out centrebacks Sigmund and Greg Uhlmann for praise, though it was Lee who was at the heart of most of their best attacks, with his slick, concise passing and movement.

Defenders Dave Samson, Aaron Scott and Hone Fowler were best for Waikato.

Auckland made a late change to their starting line-up, bringing in Rupesh Puna at right back after James Pritchett injured himself during the warm-up.

Meanwhile Roger Wilkinson confirmed former Welsh U-21 striker Dale Williams was returning to the UK after failing to make an impression.

With Team Wellington having a week off due to Waitakere's FIFA Club World Cup committments, Auckland get the chance to regain the league lead when they host YoungHeart Manawatu on Saturday, while Waikato are also at home welcoming Otago United to Hamilton on Sunday.

Photos: Tony Whitehead www.wildlight.co.nz