Southern took a first minute lead when Andrew Ridden drilled the ball into the Hawkes Bay net.
Southern started with Matt Joy back in the heart of the defence, and also making their return were Eder Franchini Pasten, Dave Hayman and Morgan Day, to offset the usual drama of missing and injured players, Cam Attwood, Jude Fitzpatrick, Tom Connor and keeper Liam Little, who has left for Australia.
But the team coach Mike Fridge fielded did better than all right, making sharp tackles, retaining the ball and sending some good passes forward to Tom Jackson, Nick Hindson and Southern's supporting cast.
However, Southern failed to cement its advantage, almost unable to believe it was leading and, as the local side wavered, it was Hawkes Bay which generated incisive attacking moves. On the left wing for the Bay, Croatian Viktor Lekaj proved a handful, with darting pace and the ability to deliver good crosses, which had centreback Joy and keeper Tom Batty working overtime.
Bay equalised after 10 minutes when its short passing game opened up the home side with spinning one twos and excellent running off the ball. Centre stage was No 10 Lekaj, who picked his spot to equalise.
Bay's English coach, Brett Angell, explained he had been working hard on getting Lekaj to use his left foot more, and the Croatian certainly obliged with his clinical strike at goal. In his first season with Bay since leaving his federation coaching job, Angell has recruited Lekaj and imports, Alex Palazavic, Facundo Barbero, and Mario Barcia, to bolster his home grown talent.
Southern could not be faulted for work rate and on the break launched some exciting hard running attacks that earned a string of corners, and free kicks. But the ''free kick'' that counted was a penalty awarded by referee Peter O'Leary as George Milne launched a rash tackle.
This led to the spot kick Ryan Tinsley hammered past keeper Batty to score in the 56th minute. Coach Mike Fridge rolled his eyes: ''Another penalty ... we have conceded so many this season. They have cost us dearly,'' he said.
''Worse still, it was a tackle that did not need to be made and again left us with a mountain to climb, against a team that has only lost four matches all season.''
The experienced Bay side kept its nose in front with possession football and, as legs faded, Joy was replaced, and most substitutes got a run. Josh Stewart, Day and Pasten added zest, but a late ball cleared off Bay's goal line was the only tangible excitement. `We paid for our naivety, with a reckless challenge that cost us the game,'' Fridge said.
''But it was good to see big Matt back in action, and also Eder Franchini back from injury.''
It was supposed to be a Melbourne Victory celebration, but the Wellington Phoenix spoiled the party with a stunning 3 2 win at AAMI Park in Mebourne last night, AAP reports.
Kevin Muscat's men had the opportunity to move to the top of the table, but the never say die Phoenix had other ideas, coming from behind twice before Nathan Burns tapped in the winner in the 77th minute.
ASB Premiership
The scores
Southern United 1
Andrew Ridden 1
Hawkes Bay 2
Viktor Lekaj 10, Ryan Tinsley (pen) 55
Halftime: 1-1
