Stevens nets from a long way out

Joel Stevens is making a strong case for signing of the season.

The former All White scored three goals, including one from inside his own half, to lead Southern United to an impressive 5-2 win over Waitakere United.

Southern scored three times inside 11 first-half minutes to take full control of their ISPS Handa Premiership game at Seddon Fields on Saturday.

Stevens then iced the victory with a spectacular effort from inside his own half before scoring Southern’s fifth from the penalty spot, taking his early-season tally to six.

The result keeps Southern second, four points behind leaders Auckland City, who survived a nervy finale to beat lowly Tasman United 2-1 at Kiwitea St yesterday.

Jama Boss pulled one back for Tasman midway through the second half, the team’s first goal from open play in 435 minutes.

However, it was too little, too late as Auckland maintained their unbeaten start on the back of goals from Cameron Howieson and Myer Bevan.

Wellington Phoenix reserves finished strongly to beat lastplaced Hamilton Wanderers 4-2 at Porritt Stadium to secure their first win of the campaign.

Hamilton shot out of the blocks, scoring twice inside the opening 10 minutes through Thilo Wilke and Derek Tieku, but Ricki Herbert’s side were unable to close out the match.

Bolstered by the presence of four first-team players, the Phoenix reserves scored four unanswered goals through Ahmad Othman (two), Sam Sutton and Stephen Sprowson.

Te Atawhai Hudson-Wihongi, who had just returned from a calf injury, lasted only 31 minutes in his comeback match.

Team Wellington’s defenders

came to the fore at David Farrington Park, first-half goals to Jack-Henry Sinclair and Rory McKeown giving them a tight 2-1 win over Canterbury United.

Canterbury opened the scoring through Calum Ferguson but their lead only lasted two minutes. Sinclair responded almost immediately before McKeown scored from 30 yards to put Wellington in front.

Meanwhile, Eastern Suburbs’ Christian Gray scored with six minutes left to clinch a dramatic 3-3 draw with Hawke’s Bay United at Bluewater Stadium, cancelling out Ahinga Selemani’s 78th-minute strike.

Despite the result, Hawke’s Bay remain in fourth place on a congested ladder.