Winless Wanderers thumped by Auckland
Hamilton Wanderers must be growing stronger, as they’re still holding up the Premiership.
Wanderers remain rooted to the bottom of the ISPS Handa Premiership football ladder after a one-sided 6-0 loss to Auckland City on Sunday.
The perennial title favourites gave the Ricki Herbert-coached side the run-around at Kiwitea Street, netting three times in each half.
Herbert said earlier this week there were some encouraging signs from his troops, while admitting they were still very much a long-term project. Few win have given them a chance at a massive upset on Sunday and so it proved, as Wanderers literally barely fired a shot.
Busy Wanderers goalkeeper Matt Oliver made a number of good saves but still couldn’t stop Ryan de Vries (14th minute), Callum McCowatt (26th) and Emiliano Tade (42nd) from finding the net in the first half.
A Liam Fellowes own goal in the 67th minute, a second from Tade with 12 minutes to play and another from de Vries on 90 minutes ensured there was equal damage in the second spell.
In the National Women’s League, WaiBop United are also still seeking their first win of the season.
It never looked like happening on Sunday, when the bottom-placed side went down 5-1 away to Auckland Football. The hosts netted four times within the first halfhour to leave no doubt about the final result.
Jacqui Hand put Auckland ahead after five minutes and new Football Fern Stephanie Skilton doubled the home team’s advantage seven minutes later. Tayla O’Brien scored Auckland’s third and Nicole Mettam made it 4-0 soon after.
WaiBop pulled a goal back in time added on at the end of the first half via the penalty spot when Kelli Brown converted the spotkick.
Substitute goalkeeper Amanda Wilshire kept Auckland off the scoresheet for almost the entire second half until O’Brien scored a cracking second.