Table-toppers Auckland extended its winning streak to six from six with a 3-0 win over a depleted Canterbury United, while a Sean Lovemore hat-trick inspired Waitakere United’s 7-2 thrashing of strugglers YoungHeart Manawatu.

A four-goal master class by Louis Fenton helped Team Wellington dispatch Hawke’s Bay United 6-2, a result that lifted Wellington into third place.

Otago United’s playoff surge faltered after two late goals gave sixth placed Waikato FC a 2-0 win in Dunedin.

Despite professional club Dinamo Tblisi nabbing midfield playmaker Andreu in midweek, Auckland City showed its depth with a convincing 3-0 win over Canterbury United at Kiwitea Street on Saturday.

Canterbury – without suspended George Slefendorfas and All White midfielder Aaron Clapham – gave as good as they got in an exciting encounter but they fell behind on 17 minutes when Daniel Koprivcic scored for the hosts. Manel Exposito doubled the advantage with a close range finish on the hour mark and Argentine super sub Emiliano Tade notched his sixth goal of the campaign when he added City’s third with two minutes left.

Both teams finished the match with ten players after referee Peter O’Leary dismissed City’s Luis Corrales and Canterbury’s Cole Peverley following a stoush with fifteen minutes left to play.

There were goals galore for Waitakere United as the West Aucklanders plundered YoungHeart Manawatu 7-2 in Palmerston North.

A hat-trick by Sean Lovemore, selected as a replacement for Ryan de Vries who is away in South Africa, set the tone as Waitakere threatened to run up double figures. Allan Pearce opened the scoring after 15 minutes before Roy Krishna doubled the advantage ten minutes later with a neat finish. Suele Soromon gave Manawatu some hope when he scored s sublime goal just three minutes later.

Lovemore bagged Waitakere United’s third eight minutes before halftime then added a fourth with a bullet header two minutes after the restart. He completed his treble midway through the second half. Pearce’s second from the penalty mark, sees him join George Slefendorfas and Emiliano Tade at the top of the Golden Boot race with six goals. Waitakere skipper Jake Butler added a seventh when he scored with twenty minutes left. Jimmy Haidakis scored a second for Manawatu with a high quality free-kick four minutes later.

In Napier, Louis Fenton went one better than Lovemore when he smashed four goals as Team Wellington mowed over Hawke’s Bay United 6-2 at Bluewater Stadium.

Unbeaten against Hawke’s Bay since the ASB Premiership began in 2004 Wellington extended that run to ten consecutive matches. Wellington opened the scoring when Fenton headed beyond Shaun Peta after just five minutes. Sam Margetts levelled the game seven minutes later before Fenton restored Wellington’s lead when he smashed home a Michael Eagar cross. Margetts levelled the scores when he finished off a Conor Tinnion cross.

The second half belonged to Wellington added four more goals with Fenton grabbing two, Dakota Lucas and Ethan Galbraith one each. Hawke’s Bay skipper Bill Robertson was sent off for a studs up challenge on Fenton with two minutes left.

Waikato FC’s campaign kicked into life after two late goals by Mohamed Awad and Jason Hicks gave them a 2-0 win over Otago at Forsyth Barr Stadium. The victory lifted the Declan Edge coached side into sixth place and means Waikato FC has lost just once in nine visits to Dunedin. Otago United – who now lose the influential midfielder Darren Overton to Australia – have lost their last two matches and slipped to fourth place as a result.

The next round of matches see Auckland City host Waikato FC at Kiwitea Street, Otago United face Team Wellington in Dunedin, Hawke’s Bay United entertain Waitakere United and YoungHeart Manawatu travel south to meet Canterbury United, all matches scheduled for Sunday 22 January, 2012. Before then, Auckland City host Amicale FC in the OFC Champions League on Wednesday 18 January, 2012.