West Coast Rangers, East Coast Bays and Tauranga City all won to ensure the pressure stays on at the top of the Lotto NRFL first division.
With second-placed Manurewa winning on Friday night, the other main players all needed wins and they came through.
Meanwhile, in Saturday’s most incident-packed game, Mount Albert Ponsonby’s Jared Colligan scored his 100th goal for the club in a thrilling 3-3 draw at Northern Rovers.
Main photo: Jared Colligan … a century of goals for MAP. Photo: Shane Wenzlick / Phototek.
Bottom sides Albany United and Waitemata go head-to-head on Sunday.
Here’s our round up of latest games:
Rangers maintain five-point lead with 2-1 win at Mangere
West Coast Rangers took the initiative early to beat Onehunga Mangere United 2-1 at Mangere Mountain.
Veteran striker Allan Pearce put the league leaders ahead in the 14th minute with his 10th goal of the season.
Jamie Mason doubled the visitors’ lead midway through the first half.
However the home side kept themselves in the contest when substitute Maksim Manko pulled back a goal on the stroke of half-time.
The sides went into the break with Rangers ahead 2-1 and neither side could find a way through in the second spell.
Rangers maintain their five-point lead with the win while United sit firmly in mid-table.
Kelly double keeps Bays in sight of league leaders
Two goals from youngster Keegan Kelly ensured East Coast Bays stayed in sight of the league leaders with a 2-1 win at Fencibles United’s Riverhills Park.
Kelly opened the scoring in the 6th minute, a goal that sent Bays into half-time with that 1-0 lead.
Straight after half-time, Kelly scored again to turn the screws on Fencibles. It was his 12th goal of the season and Kelly joins Jaydyn Englefield (Metro) and Monty Patterson (Manurewa) at the top of the Golden Boot table.
Fencibles scored a late consolation through Kees Tweed.
Bays have benefitted from a strong second half of the season but will rely on West Coast Rangers and Manurewa to lose form if they are to catch either of them.
Colligan scores twice as 10-man MAP share six-goal thriller with Rovers
Jared Colligan scored his 100th goal for Mount Albert Ponsonby in a thrilling 3-3 draw with Northern Rovers at McFetridge Park.
Rovers took the lead through Jason Quinland in the 28th minute.
MAP made their job more difficult with a straight red issued to Jade Mesias in the 34th minute for a bad tackle, and they went into half-time with 10 men and 1-0 down.
Striker Colligan led the fightback from the visitors, levelling in the 54th minute with a goal that brought up a century of goals for the club.
Two minutes later, Rovers regain the lead through substitute David Brown, who had been on the pitch only a few minutes.
Colligan struck back in the 62nd minute to tie things up at 2-2.
Against the odds, MAP skipper Lewis Black put his side ahead with 10 minutes to go.
With the visitors looking good for an improbable win, Rovers were awarded a penalty with a minute to go, when referee Andres Castro ruled a handball.
Rory Turner slotted the penalty and the game ended 3-3.
Bidois hat-trick inspires Tauranga to big win against Ellerslie
A hat-trick by Jony Bidois inspired Tauranga City to a 6-2 win against Ellerslie at Links Avenue.
The game got off to a frantic start with five first-half goals.
Bidois scored first in the 11th minute and midway through the half, Braxton Fisher-Vanderveen added a second for City.
On the half-hour, Liam Malloy stretched the lead to 3-0 and then Bidois scored his second in the 38th minute, making it 4-0.
Ellerslie got some respite with a penalty five minutes before the break, put away by Tom Durkin.
The sides turned around with Tauranga leading 4-1.
Colby Breenan increased the margin to 5-1 soon after the restart but Rowan Corbett responded for the Ponies with a goal in the 52nd minute.
Bidois completed his hat-trick on the hour mark, giving his side a 6-2 lead, and that’s how the score stayed till full-time.
The win kept Tauranga in touch with the leading group but need other results to go their way if they are to get their promotion push back on track.
Results
Games played Friday August 5, 2022
Click here for match report >>>>
Metro 0
Manurewa 1 (Monty Patterson 37′)
Games played Saturday August 6, 2022
Fencibles United 1 (Kees Tweed 88′)
East Coast Bays 2 (Keegan Kelly 6′, 46′)
Northern Rovers 3 (Jason Quinlan 28′, David Brown 56′, Rory Turner 89′ pen)
Mount Albert Ponsonby 3 (Jared Colligan 54′, 62′, Lewis Black 81′)
Onehunga Mangere United 1 (Maksim Manko 45′)
West Coast Rangers 2 (Allan Pearce 14′, Jamie Mason 25′)
Tauranga City 6 (Jonty Bidois 11′, 38′, 61′, Braxton Fisher-Vanderveen 23′, Liam Molloy 30′, Colby Brennan 49′)
Ellerslie 2 (Tom Durkin 40′ pen, Rowan Corbett 52′)
Game to be played on Sunday August 7, 2022
Albany United
Waitemata
Standings
Thanks
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