Another brave effort by Otago - and another defeat. Auckland City won 2-0 in Auckland, taking its tally against Otago in the New Zealand Football Championship to seven goals for and none against in three matches.
Otago had hopes of repeating last week's upset when Hawkes Bay beat Auckland 2-0, but it was a hard act to follow.
Few would recognise the Otago side from previous matches. Without its quota of three Americans, who left earlier this week, Calum Flaws took over in goal, Matt Stares and young Morgan Day started in midfield, and late in the match Andy Pickering had a run.
Auckland also tinkered with its team since regular keeper Ross Nicholson and Luis Del Monte were out, and a surprise selection was former Otago player Chris Morris, who appeared in midfield.
Otago accepted the challenge with a fiery opening display, and the names of Matt Stares, Morgan Day, and later Terry Phelan went in referee Chris Kerr's notebook as Otago tried to contain the NZFC league leader.
Stares showed that he was not frightened to pull the trigger and twice launched shots that troubled Auckland keeper Tamati Williams.
Mike Eisenhut continues to regain his old form, and set Auckland problems with his little darting runs.
Eisenhut got the perfect compliment when Solomon Island international George Suri resorted to a crude challenge to stop him, and the Auckland defender was sent off by referee Kerr in the 57th minute.
However, Eisenhut who has had two broken legs in recent seasons, continued to limp and from the Otago bench, Mike Flaws went on. Aaron Burgess also later replaced Day.
Despite Otago's stout defending, referee Kerr was the decision maker when, during an Auckland corner, he claimed to have seen a push, and Brian Little beat keeper Flaws with a 65th minute penalty in off the left-hand post. That was when Phelan got his yellow card.
Keeper Flaws did little wrong and made some exceptional saves. Against marksman Keryn Jordan he stretched to save one shot, blocked bravely at the same striker's feet, then had the slice of luck all keepers need when a Jordan shot cannoned off his goal upright.
With seven minutes to go Otago still looked capable of pinching a draw, then yet another former Otago player clinched Auckland's 2-nil win when Jakub Sinkora scored after a clever build-up.
Otago remains ahead of bottom-placed Canterbury, which lost 0-1 to Waitakere Wellington beat Waikato 2-0.
But the volatile match of the day took place in Palmerston North where Hawkes Bay clipped more wings with a last-minute goal to beat Shayne Rufer's Manawatu side 3-2.
Referee Stephen Fletcher dished out four yellows to Manawatu, and in the 90th minute red carded Daniel Alinga (Manawatu) and Sam Jenkins (Bay).
The game also included two penalties, one a re-take, but the most important was substitute Chris Geatholder's 92nd-minute winner for Hawkes Bay.
