Navy Blues stretch winning run
NAPIER, New Zealand - Auckland City FC's winning streak in the ISPS Handa Premiership continues after downing Hawke's Bay United 4-1 in Napier today.
The Navy Blues unbeaten run in the domestic top flight now stretches to 17 matches and some 463 days while the Bay's hopes of reaching the playoffs have faded.
The damage could've been a lot worse when after just one minute Alex Britton offered up Micah Lea'alafa a chance to score after his poor first touch left the Solomon Islander an open goal only for him to miss.
Lea'alafa's miss was a taste of a rough afternoon to come when Britton saved a penalty kick after Tavano was felled in the box.
The Navy Blues wait for a goal was only delayed a minute however when Tavano opened the scoring with a beautiful left foot shot in the far corner.
Lea'alafa got his name on the scoresheet when he blasted home a header from close range from a Browne cross.
Sam Mason-Smith halved the deficit after fine work down the right by Karan Mandair to put the match back in the balance until Jordan Vale restored the two goal buffer when he ghosted in at the far post to slam home a Brian Kaltak shot.
The game was put to bed with almost the last kick of the match when Browne raced clear of the Bay defence, drew Britton, before slotting into an empty net.
Auckland City FC take on Eastern Suburbs on Saturday 26 January 2019 at Kiwitea Street at 4pm in a top ot the table clash.
Ends
Match Result
ISPS Handa Premiership
Sunday 21 January 2019
Hawke's Bay United 1 (Sam MASON-SMITH 58')
Auckland City FC 4 (Fabrizio TAVANO 22', Micah LEA'ALAFA 47', Jordan VALE 67', David BROWNE 90+3')
HT: 0-1
AC: 1. Enaut ZUBIKARAI (GK), 5. Angel BERLANGA (c), 6. Brian KALTAK, 7. Cam HOWIESON, 10. Micah LEA'ALAFA (21. Maro BONSU-MARO 81'), 11. Fabrizio TAVANO, 14. Jordan VALE, 15. Dan MORGAN, 16. Yousif ALI, 17. Redi DRAKE (12. Dylan MANICKUM 34'), 19. David BROWNE.
SUBS NOT USED: 18. Ruben PARKER (GK), 4. Mario BILEN, 8. Albert RIERA.
COACH: Ramon TRIBULIETX.
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Table
| Position | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | AC | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 3 | 15 |
| 2 |  | WS | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 12 |
| 3 |  | BU | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 5 | 9 |
| 4 |  | BO | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 9 |
| 5 |  | MN | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 5 | 7 |
| 6 |  | AU | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 6 |
| 7 |  | ES | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 6 |
| 8 |  | TC | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 11 | 3 |
| 9 |  | MU | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 16 | 3 |
| 10 |  | WR | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 14 | 2 |
| 11 |  | HW | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 1 |
| 12 |  | EB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 10 | 0 |
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