Floodlit games at opposite ends of the Lotto NRFL first division table have both ended in 1-1 draws.
West Coast Rangers remain at the top of the table while Northern Rovers and Waitemata both improve their league position after sharing the points.
Here’s our round-up of midweek games played on May 11:
Last gasp effort denies league leaders another win
A last-minute goal from striker Maksim Manko denied first division leaders West Coast Rangers another win as they drew 1-1 with third-placed Onehunga Mangere United under the lights at Huapai Reserve.
This catch-up game was important to both sides who are among the contenders for promotion to the Northern League after strong starts to the season.
After a goalless first half, the sides poured on the pressure late in the game and Joshua Armitt broke the deadlock, putting Rangers ahead in the 83rd minute.
With the league’s meanest defence, Rangers might have been expected to run down the clock to claim what would have been their fifth 1-0 win in eight games.
In fact, goalkeeper Matthew Upton — missing in Rangers’ 2-1 loss to Northern Rovers on Saturday — had clocked up 500 minutes of football since he had last conceded a goal.
But as the 90th minute looked, Onehunga’s Manko found the net for the third time this season, claiming what could be a crucial point when the final tables are calculated at season’s end.
Main photo: United’s Maksim Manko. File photo: Shane Wenzlick / Phototek.
The result keeps Rangers within reach of the chasing pack, after dropping five points in two games, while United are well-placed in third spot, with a game in hand.
Rovers and Waitemata share the points at Becroft Park
Goals at the start of the second half provided all the excitement in the 1-1 draw between Northern Rovers and Waitemata at Becroft Park.
The sides played out a scoreless first half but they came out firing after the break.
Within a minute of the restart, former Wellington Phoenix youngster Adam Windelburn put Rovers ahead in front of the home support.
But two minutes later, Waitemata responded with a leveller from Jarrod Gordon, recruited at the start of this season from division rivals Onehunga Mangere United, his second goal of the season.
The result lifts Rovers above Mt Albert Ponsonby in mid-table while the point takes Waitemata above East Coast Bays and further away from the bottom end of the ladder.
Result
Games played Wednesday May 11, 2022
West Coast Rangers 1 (Josh Armitt 83′)
Onehunga Mangere United 1 (Maksim Manko 90′)
Northern Rovers 1 (Adam Windelburn 46′)
Waitemata 1 (Jarrod Gordon 48′)
Standings
Thanks
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