Otago United kept Auckland scoreless until half-time but was overwhelmed 5-0 in the second spell as the home side ran riot to overtake Waitakere at the top of the New Zealand Football Championship.
Coach Malcolm Fleming's plan to flood the midfield worked well in the early stages, and Stu Kelly hit Otago's most convincing shot, but international centreback Ivan Vicelich got a late foot in to block the ball.
James Waggett in the Otago goal showed top form to save several well-hit shots, the best a rasper by Jason Hayne after a mazy dribble took the striker past four Otago players.
But Otago was still well in the match and looked capable of grabbing a point as half-time approached and, until the 52nd minute, Fleming's side retained its compact shape.
Then however Ian Hogg's left-wing cross was slid home by Matt Williams and the Auckland side surged forward, to turn the screws.
Otago tried to refresh tired legs, with Dave Dugdale on for Dan Ede and Tom Connor on for Mike Abbott.
Morgan Day replaced James Reichwein.
But the altered team shape crumbled as Auckland rammed in two goals in two minutes when James Pritchett and Hayne combined to set up Dan Koprivcic to score in the 75th minute.
Then Grant Young forced in a close range strike to make the score 3-0 after 77 minutes.
Dugdale did test Spoonley in the Auckland goal with a swerving shot that the keeper did well to push round his post but, with tails up, the home side pushed forward and clinched the match with another two goals.
Referee Campbell Waugh awarded a penalty that Paul Urlovich hammered in and then, from a corner, centreback Vicelich headed in a near-post flick by Urlovich to register the final 5-0 result.
A clearly disappointed Fleming said: "They were not five goals better than us, but that's what the scoreline says.
For the first hour we competed well, then ran out of legs."
Like vinegar in an open wound, Canterbury overtook Otago by soundly beating former league leader Waitakere 4-0.
Waitakere striker Roy Krishna was red carded.
Red cards were also issued to Manawatu players Dan Keat and David Samson as Wellington cruised upwards by beating Manawatu 2-0.
Hawkes Bay moved up to within two points of Otago, winning 3-0, leaving Waikato anchored at the bottom of the NZFC with three points.
