Manurewa and Tauranga City maintained their chase after Lotto NRFL first division leaders West Coast Rangers with excellent wins in round seven of the competition.
Rewa rammed home five goals against struggling Metro while Tauranga tidily toppled the inconsistent Ellerslie.
Meanwhile, Rangers stayed in pole position, despite not playing their game against Onehunga Mangere United which was postponed.
Rewa showing their true potential with emphatic win against Metro
Manurewa continued their climb up the table with an emphatic 5-1 win against Metro at Jellicoe Park.
High profile summer signings, strikers Horrace James and All White Monty Patterson, were missing from Rewa’s starting line-up but the South Aucklanders did not miss a beat, taking the game to Metro from the start.
Dylan Horgan scored twice in the opening half-hour (3′ and 26′) to put the home side in front 2-0.
Nicholas Bobadilla then scored his fourth of the season, to increase Rewa’s lead to 3-0 after 33 minutes.
Match programme: Click on cover to read Manurewa’s match programme.
Metro salvaged something from a rough first half when Jadyn Englefield pulled back a goal on the stroke of half-time.
It was Metro’s first goal scored from open play this season — their only two previous goals had been a penalty and an own goal.
In the second half, Manurewa maintained their dominance and added two more goals through Dastgeer Lai-Sai (65′) and Mohammed Shah five minutes into added time.
Manurewa have certainly recovered from their jittery start to the season and look likely to be among the title challengers as the season rolls out.
Metro, meanwhile, remain at the foot of the table, in need of a result that can re-boot their season.
Colligan double helps MAP to win after trailing to Rovers
Two goals by Jared Colligan helped Mt Albert Ponsonby to a come-from-behind win against Northern Rovers at Anderson Park.
Rovers got off to a flying start, going ahead through David Brown after only seven minutes.
But the experienced Colligan (33) levelled five minutes later to keep the teams recently matched for the rest of the first half.
Ten minutes into the second half, Nicholas Hindson put MAP ahead 2-1.
In the 71st minute, Colligan found the net for his second of the game.
Rovers made a triple change off the bench, giving themselves time to find an equaliser.
However MAP’s defence held firm, unlike in recent games when the side showed a tendency to concede late goals, to take all three points.
Main photo: Jared Colligan … scored twice to help MAP beat Northern Rovers. File photo: Shane Wenzlick / Phototek.
Confident Tauranga topple the Ponies with two-goal burst
Two goals in a five-minute spell turned the game in Tauranga City’s favour as the Bay side beat Ellerslie 3-0 at Michaels Ave.
Confident Tauranga have been in good form this season and they took control midway through the first half.
Adam Davidson opened the scoring in the 24th minute and then Ry McLeod scored for the second week running, doubling Tauranga’s lead in the 28th minute.
It was always going to be difficult for the Ponies from there on and the home side could make no headway before the teams turned round at 2-0.
Match programme: Click on cover to read Ellerslie’s match programme.
Eight minutes into the second half, Liam Malloy stretched City’s lead to 3-0.
Ellerslie coach Ben Fletcher went to his bench, bringing on four subs to liven things up, but to no avail.
The Ponies are the enigma of the division; capable at best, vulnerable at their worst.
Meanwhile, Barry Gardiner’s Tauranga side seem to have depth in their squad and are making good use of it.
Late penalty enough for Albany to claim victory at Waitemata
A late penalty scored by Benjamin Roberts was enough for Albany United to beat Waitemata on their home turf and lift the side off the bottom of the table.
Albany have struggled so far this season, conceding 14 goals in their first six outings.
But their defence held together for a welcome clean sheet at McLeod Road, providing the platform for a hard-fought win.
The breakthrough came in the 82nd minute when referee Alec Couchman awarded the visitors a penalty.
Roberts slotted the ball home and United then saw out time to secure the points.
Results
Games played Saturday April 30, 2022.
Ellerslie 0
Tauranga City 3 (Adam Davidson 24′, Ry McLeod 28′, Liam Malloy 53′)
Waitemata 0
Albany United 1 (Benjamin Roberts 82′ pen)
Mt Albert Ponsonby 3 (Jared Colligan 12′, 71′, Nicholas Hindson 56′)
Northern Rovers 1 (David Brown 7′)
Manurewa 5 (Dylan Horgan 3′, 26′, Nicolas Bobadilla 33′, Dastgeer Lai-Sai 65′, Mohammed Shah 90+5′)
Metro 1 (Jaydyn Englefield 45′)
Postponed
East Coast Bays P
Fencibles United P
To be rescheduled
West Coast Rangers P
Onehunga Mangere United P
To be played May 11 (7.30pm)
Standings
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