Hawkes Bay stays in the hunt for a top four slot, as Auckland hit three goals in five minutes to head the ASB Premiership after beating Manawatu 6-0, while Canterbury went second after a 1-1 draw with Wellington, and Waitakere's 2-0 win over Waikato kept that team handy.
In Napier yet another rearranged Otago side had defender Jude Fitzpatrick and midfielder Sam Mepham take the places of Craig Ferguson and Seamus Ryder, The Bay started brightly, with some neat passing, and Otago keeper Peter Evans had to make a smart save as Sam Margetts shot at goal.
But Otago settled, looking comfortable with the home side's early tactic of hitting longer passes, and Harley Rodeka showed early breakaway menace with some probing runs on the wing.
A shot from Rodeka forced Bay's keeper Shaun Peta to flap the ball away, and from the resultant corner, Otago took a 16th minute lead when Hancock scored his first ASB goal of the season.
Then it was Rodeka again, making space and driving in a shot that defender Stephen Hindmarch desperatelyblocked.
As the game heated up, Sam Mepham launched several strong tackles and eventually got a yellow card from referee Chris Kerr after a particularly effective block on Adam Cowan.
Mepham's attitude was just what the game required, since ball-winning was going to separate these two competitive sides.
With tails up, Regan Coldicott went past Bay's defender Fergus Neil and launched a superb cross that Hancock dive-headed home to double his tally and give Otago a handy 2-0 lead at the break.
The Bay again opened brightly in the second half, with Margetts carving runs that brought the best out of centreback Matt Joy, but the sideline call by coach Richard Murray was to tighten things up.
Connor Tinnion still found space, and delivered a cross that scraped by the veteran head of Leon Birnie, and with 30 minutes to go Bay's coach Chris Greatholder brought on the fresh legs of Hamish Watson.
Home pressure mounted, and in the 63rd Otago defender Fitzpatrick chipped a calamitous own goal over keeper Evans, and just one minute later, sub Watson volleyed in a headed Birnie lay-off, to equalise at 2-2 with 25 minutes to go.
Bay's domination continued as Tinnion rounded keeper Evans but butchered his chance for glory. Otago brought on Seamus Ryder for Fitzpatrick to harness his pace.
But it was veteran Birnie who broke the deadlock in the 75th minute, as he cut inside, past two defenders, before slotting a 10-yarder past Evans to take a 3-2 lead.
Four minutes later Bay, turned the screw as substitute Stu Wilson made his first touch a booming volley that flew in to all but wrap up the match at 4-2 to Hawkes Bay.
ASB Premiership
The scores
Hawkes Bay - 4
Hamish Watson, Leon Birnie, Stu Wilson, own goal
Otago United - 2
Ant Hancock 2
Halftime: 0-2
