Late drama in national league
Late drama was the name of the game in the New Zealand national football league on Sunday.
Hawke’s Bay United and Canterbury United scored goals in the dying stages to earn draws with Team Wellington and Auckland City, respectively, while Tasman United saved a stoppage time penalty to do the same against the Wellington Phoenix Reserves.
The only winners of the day in the Stirling Sports Premiership, Eastern Suburbs, also left it late, scoring twice in the final 10 minutes to down Hamilton Wanderers.
The excitement started at Dave Farrington Park, where Hawke’s Bay United collected an 84thminute equaliser but the sending off of coach Brett Angell was the main talking point of their 3-3 draw with the defending champion hosts.
Assisted by an outstanding display from goalkeeper Josh Hill, the visitors scrambled the ball in from a corner to claim a share of the points.
Scores were tied 2-2 at halftime before a 57th-minute Tom Jackson penalty of the feisty encounter had Team Wellington on their way.
A vocal Angell was sent off nine minutes later, taking some persuading to leave the field and receiving several reminders from officials as the match continued.
It was not enough, though, to prevent his side from levelling and heading home with a point.
In Nelson, Tasman goalkeeper Tom Fawdry saved a 92-minute penalty from Phoenix striker Hamish Watson in a 1-1 draw at Trafalgar Park.
It was something of a reprieve for the hosts gloveman, who had made an embarrassing mistake to gift Watson the opening goal of the game and give the visitors the lead at the break.
Tasman equalised through Ermal Hajdari in the 72nd minute and were denied a second just moments later thanks to a brilliant save by Phoenix keeper Oliver Sail.
Wellington could have snatched victory from the spot in injurytime but Fawdry produced the goods and the contest finished in a stalemate.
A 10-man Canterbury United made no such mistake in Christchurch, Tom Schwarz capping his 100th appearance for the Dragons by nailing a penalty and his second goal of the game in the 96th-minute to secure a 2-2 draw with Auckland City.
The visitors had taken the lead in the 64th-minute via striker Emiliano Tade, before the home side had Gary Ogilvie red-carded eight minutes later.
Schwarz managed to make it 1-1 in the 81st-minute and although Alfie Rogers restored the City lead moments later, Andre de Jong came down in the box with fulltime looming and the Dragons striker capped his milestone game with the successful penalty.
A result was forthcoming at Bill McKinlay Park in Auckland as Eastern Suburbs collected a muchneeded 3-1 win against Wanderers.
The teams had been locked 1-1 at halftime and in the 69th minute the visitors were denied a penalty when striker Raymond Gunemba went down in the penalty area.
Suburbs broke the deadlock in the 82nd minute through young All Whites midfielder Moses Dyer and, as Wanderers poured numbers forward in the final moments, the hosts sealed the deal with a third to Nigerian striker Osita Henry Chikere.
Schwarz’s late penalty meant Waitakere United retained top spot on 23 points, with Auckland City and Team Wellington both moving to 21.
Eastern Suburbs (20) remained fourth, ahead of Hawke’s Bay and Canterbury, who both had 17.