Wanderers end 23-game run without a win

Hamilton Wanderers won for the first time in 24 national league matches on Sunday, beating Waita¯ kere United to double their points tally for the season, and end a recordequalling winless run that began more than a year ago.

Meanwhile, Auckland City and Team Wellington drew 0-0 in their top-of-the-table clash, a result which leaves the top three separated by two points.

Third-placed Eastern Suburbs and fourth-placed Canterbury United both won to cement themselves in the top four, while Tasman United thumped Hawke’s Bay United, a result that left them as the only team with a realistic chance of making a late run into the playoffs, but even then, it’s a faint one.

TOP TWO SEPARATED

The first half at Kiwitea St was a cagey affair, with the two sides each only producing one chance of note. Team Wellington’s came first, when Eric Molloy had a goalbound shot cleared by Mario Bilen in the 20th minute, while Scott Basalaj did well to advance off his line and deny Auckland City forward Callum McCowatt in the 38th minute.

There weren’t that many more chances at the start of the second half, but the hosts did look more likely to break the deadlock.

City forward Micah Lea’alafa had the ball in the back of the net twice in the final quarter of an hour, but was ruled offside on both occasions, and so the two teams had to settle for a point.

WANDERERS WIN FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2016 UNABLE TO BE ISPS Handa Premiership, round 14 Auckland City 0 Team Wellington 0 HT:

0-0; Hamilton Wanderers 2 (Tommy Semmy, Alex Frank) Waita¯kere United 1 (Julyan Collett). HT: 1-1; Canterbury United

2 (Cory Mitchell, Gary Ogilvie pen) Southern United 1 (Danny Furlong pen) HT: 1-1; Tasman United 5 (Paul Ifill 3, Maksym Kowal, Lyle Matthysen) Hawke’s Bay United 2 (Bill Robertson, Birhanu Taye pen) HT: 2-0; Eastern Suburbs 7 (Andre de Jong

2, Michael Built 2, Derek Tieku, Moses Dyer, OG) Wellington Phoenix reserves 1 (Logan Rogerson) HT: 2-1.

Points: Auckland City 28, Team Wellington

27, Eastern Suburbs 26, Canterbury United

23*, Tasman United 20, Waita¯kere United 16, Hawke’s Bay United 16, Southern United 15, Wellington Phoenix reserves 12*, Hamilton Wanderers 6. *Denotes game in hand

side of one from Julyan Collett, starting up front rather than at centre back.

Waitakere had numerous chances to put the game to bed in the second half while it was still 1-1, and hit the crossbar twice, but couldn’t muster an equaliser once they fell behind in the 73rd minute. That goal came shortly after centre back Stewart MacKay was subbed, a move that prompted a loud disagreement between him and coach Chris Milicich. The five-time champions are now set to miss the playoffs for just the third time in their history.

CANTERBURY END SOUTHERN’S CHALLENGE