Central United scored a comfortable 4-1 victory over local rivals Metro at Kiwitea Street on June 24 to maintain their championship challenge in the Southern Trust National League.
The home side got off to the proverbial flyer, netting twice in the first fourteen minutes to seemingly kill the game off as a contest. A quick Brian Hawke free-kick caught Metro unawares in the tenth minute, and the ever-alert Bruce Hill surged through the visitors' dazed rearguard to pick his spot beyond Greg Brand.
Four minutes later, Hawke teamed up with Greg Uhlmann on the left to create an opening for Campbell Banks. He powered to the goal-line before pulling the ball back for Daniel Aliaga, whose crisply-struck twenty-yarder sizzled past Brand into the bottom far corner of the net.
Within minutes, Metro's goalkeeper had saved efforts from Hamish Carmody and Hawke, as Central attacked with gusto - they were all over Metro like a yellow rash!! After twenty minutes, great work by Scott Greenhalgh on the right saw him beat three players before crossing beyond Brand for Carmody, only for the returning striker - home again from Sweden, and showing the benefits of his time there - to be thwarted by a fine Peter Hendriks block.
After Hawke had headed wide from a Greenhalgh cross, Metro came into the game as an attacking force, Carl Bennett their spark. He fired a 28th minute free-kick narrowly past Matt Maingay's right-hand post, then whipped in a superb cross from the left, only for none of his team-mates to react to it - a great chance lost.
Following a tame Carmody shot at Brand, the home team produced a fine 33rd minute move, Miro Major its inspiration. His pass to Carmody was touched onto Banks, who fired a fine shot on the turn which was matched by Brand's top-drawer save.
After Hendriks had headed a Paul Rowley free-kick inches over the top ten minutes before the break, Banks was to again find Brand his nemesis before the interval, while the lanky goalkeeper showed great anticipation in producing a fine save at the feet of Carmody, after the striker had played a one-two with Major.
As they had done against Christchurch City, Central scored two early goals to give themselves a comfort margin against struggling opponents they were expected to overcome without too much difficulty.
City, however, bit back on that occasion, forcing a 2-2 draw at Kiwitea Street, and punishing Central for resting on their laurels. A month on, Metro gave their more fancied opposition a hurry-up of similar proportions, but unfortunately for the bottom-of-the-table team, their goal - an unchallenged Brad Scott header from ten yards on receipt of a Bennett cross in stoppage time at the end of the first half - was just the boost Central needed to raise their game in the second spell.
Unfortunately for the home team, they found Brand in impressive form. After swatting a dipping Uhlmann cross-shot to safety in the 52nd minute, the goalkeeper produced a fine save to prevent Carmody restoring Central's two-goal advantage three minutes later. Then it was Banks' turn to be denied by the 'keeper once more, after beating two players on receipt of a Carmody pass.
Brand was beaten in the 64th minute, but on this occasion, a lack of accuracy put paid to Central's goal hopes, Banks' rasping eighteen yard drive flying inches wide of the 'keeper's left-hand upright, after an interchange of passes with Greenhalgh.
Two minutes later, Brand was beaten again, and this time Central were celebrating. Banks released Hill on the right, and the oft-unsung midfielder got to the byline before pulling the ball back into Major's path. From fifteen yards, he hammered home his side's third goal of the game.
Three minutes more had elapsed when Central had what appeared to be legitimate penalty claims ignored by referee Derek Rugg. A twenty-yarder from Banks was parried by Banks, but as Carmody raced in to snaffle the rebound, he was bundled down in the penalty area by Poasa Senibuli.
The home side were a bit miffed at this call, but kept their minds on the job, creating another chance within seconds. Hawke led the charge with a great break down the left, before crossing to the far post, where Carmody was flying in to meet the ball. It was a difficult volleyed chance, but even the striker was left wondering how he managed to lift it over the crossbar from within the six yard box.
Fourteen minutes from time, Brand resumed his personal duel with Banks, turning another effort from the striker to safety after Hawke had picked out his unmarked team-mate with another measured cross.
Soon after, Michael Ridenton was denied by Brand, although neither player appeared to know a great deal about it. A Major corner to the far post saw Central's skipper arriving on the scene, but the ball cannoned off him straight into the goalkeeper's gloves.
After Senibuli had twice stopped Aliaga in his tracks after the midfielder had rampaged past three opponents in fine fashion on each occasion, Central concluded the scoring four minutes from time, their goalscorer a most deserving one.
Carmody had produced a memorable performance, the only missing factor being a goal. But after playing a slick one-two with Hawke - he, too, shone for Central, Carmody unleashed a searing twenty-five yard drive which swerved away from the straining fingertips of Brand en route to the top left-hand corner of the net - 4-1.
Major, twice, and Hawke squandered chances to extend Central's winning margin still further in the remaining minutes, but 4-1 was the title contender's lot, and it would now be a major surprise were they not to secure a home semi-final in the play-off phase of the competition.
Metro, on the other hand, look destined for the National League promotion-relegation play-offs against the various regional champions, so remote do their hopes of catching Christchurch appear with five games remaining. Will this be the last Central Auckland National League derby for a while? Time will tell.

Summary:

Central: Maingay; Ridenton, Thompson, Uhlmann; Greenhalgh, Hill, Major, Aliaga, Hawke; Carmody, Banks (Espinoza, 85)

Metro:  Brand; Hendriks, Senibula, Eisenhut; Rowley, Scott (Titus, 55), Root, Thou, Shepherd; Bennett, Osborne

Referee: Derek Rugg

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