Auckland City

Canterbury United

1

1

Ki-Hyung Lee 74

Aaron Clapham 45 

by Bob Pearce at Kiwitea Street
nzfc.co.nz

Auckland City moved a point clear at the top of the New Zealand Football Championship after a 1-1 draw with Canterbury at Kiwitea Street.

The hard-earned away point moves Canterbury into the top four with games in hand over their nearest rivals.

Nobody at Kiwitea St would have disputed them a playoff place. They came north with their confidence boosted by a couple of crushing home victories and from the start they took it to the champions.

And on the stroke of halftime they took the lead when Russell Kamo ran down a long ball from Nick Wortelboer and Aaron Clapham buried his cross.

It wasn't until the 74th minute that Auckland got on terms. Substitute Adam Dickinson crossed into a crowded penalty area and when the ball bounced loose Ki-Hyung Lee rifled a shot past Tom Batty.

With three minutes of regular time to go Auckland came close to snatching victory. For once the Canterbury defence was outmanoeuvred and Jason Hayne lobbed the ball toward an empty net with goalkeeper Batty out of position. A desperate lunge on the line by Wortelboer saved the point.

Maybe it wasn't a premium performance by the champions but they showed resilience to fight back and at the finish they were the ones pressing for the win.

Player of the day clearly was Canterbury's Aaron Clapham. The red-headed 23-year-old was strong on the ball, torturing the Auckland defence and setting up chances as well as scoring a goal.

He has been a strong force in the revival of Canterbury football this season and it is sad that he could be headed back to the Victorian State League in the next couple of weeks. It would be nice to think the Phoenix could find a place for him in the near future.

A familiar face in the Canterbury lineup was defender Gareth Rowe, who once played for the Central United Club under the coaching of Paul Posa and Ricki Herbert. He showed that he retains the qualities that made him a staunch defender.

Auckland City were without the suspended Chad Coombes. Grant Young started and should have opened the scoring in the 24th minute when he dwelt a little too long on a perfectly delivered cross from James Pritchett.

"It was a good tough game," said Auckland coach Paul Posa. "Canterbury battled well and you can only play as well as your opponents let you." 

Canterbury coach Keith Braithwaite was pleased with the efforts of his side to match the champions.

"They're a very good side and I was pleased that we matched them. We've been practising two and three touch football and keeping possession and it paid off," Braithwaite said.

Auckland now have four games away from home before meeting Waitakere on March 27 in what is likely to be the deciding O-League clash. 

Auckland City

V

Canterbury United

1 Jacob Spoonley (GK)

18 Tom Batty (GK)

3 Ian Hogg

2 Dan Terris

5 Matt Williams (Feneridis 63)

4 Gareth Rowe

6 Ki-Hyung Lee

5 Matt Boyd

7 James Pritchett

6 Andy Pitman

10 Grant Young(Dickinson 59)

7 Aaron Clapham

11 Daniel Koprivcic (Urlovic 79)

9 Russell Kamo (Frame 70

15 Ivan Vicelich

11 Tom Lancaster(Wild 76)

16 Jason Hayne

12 Nick Wortelboer

17 Adam McGeorge

15 Paul Dirou

20 Greg Uhlmann

19 Darren Overton

Substitutes

Substitutes

4 Sam Campbell

1 Jordan Buchanan (RGK)

9 Paul Urlovic

3 Jeremy Wild

13 Alex Feneridis

13 Hue Frame

18 Paul Gothard (RGK)

 17 Glen Collins

22 Adam Dickinson

=goal

=yellow card

=2 yellow cards

= red card

0 mins

Fine and sunny and very hot. Hope the visitors have come prepared for the heat.

Grant Young starting, Chad Coombes suspended for Auckland

Canterbury playing with the gentle breeze

1 mins

Hogg cross from left lays on chance for Koprivcic, whose shot goes straight to keeper

3 mins

First corner to Canterbury, fielded by goalie

4 mins

Lancaster concedes freekick and gets lecture from ref.

7 mins

Uhlmann yellow for foul on Clapham, freekick sails over bar

9 mins

All Canterbury at the moment but a lot of willing tackling

12 mins

Lee freekick lasers over bar

14 mins

Batty saves at Young's feet.

15 mins

Linesman misses obvious offside but fortunately ball is cleared

19 mins

Yellow card for Lancaster for second foul tackle

22 mins

Cross from Clapham, header by kamo saved by Spoonley. Visitors looking very dangerous.

24 mins

Young misses sitter after Pritchett cross sails to far post

27 mins

kamo tries long shot but sails wide.

29 mins

Freekick to Canterbury on edge of area, Clapham fires wide

31 min

Overton piledriver from long range tipped over bar by Spoonley

32 mins

Dirou heads over bar from corner.

39mins

canterbury surge forward but last pass goes astray.

42 mins

Young gets yellow for tackle, dubious to say the least.

45 mins

GOAL! Kamo runs down long ball from Wortelboer and sets up Clapham who makes no mistake

45 plus one

Halftime 1-0 Canterbury well deserved

Away again. No changes at the break

47 mins

Koprivcic has chance but good tackle foils him.

48 mins

Left wing corner to Auckland  cleared with difficulty

49 mins

Press box joke. I'm on this new diet. Prunes and viagra. Don't know whether I'm coming or going!

54 mins

Lancaster shot well saved by Spoonley

59 mins

Sub for Auckland Dickinson for Young

63 mins

Williams off, Feneridis on

68 mins

Canterbury in control, Auckland unable to put two passes together

70 mins

Sub, Frame for kamo

71 mins

McGeorge shoots with no power

74 mins

GOAL! Dickinson crosses and ball falls to Lee who rockets the ball home.

76 mins

Sub Lancaster off Wild on.

79 mins

Sub: Urlovic for Koprivcic

83 mins

Sub:Collins for Pitman. Lee stretchered off after clash in Auckland penalty area. no more subs for Auckland now down to 10

85 mins

Lee back on again seems OK

87 mins

Hayne lobs goalie but Wortelboer clears

90 mins

Three minutes added on.

91 mins

Freekick on edge of area for Canterbury. headed over the top.

90 plus four

Final whistle 1-1 probably about right.