Auckland FC recorded their first win of the Isuzu Ute A-League season on October 25, their 1-0 defeat of Western Sydney Wanderers due reward for playing to win, rather than to not lose in front of a 14,767-strong crowd on a public holiday weekend in New Zealand. The visitors enjoyed plenty of possession in the opening stages of the contest, but created very little throughout the entire match - only a handful of opportunities gave Steve Corica's side cause for concern, whereas the goal defended by Alen Stajcic's team came under threat regularly throughout proceedings. Such as in the second minute, when Lachlan Brook picked out Francis de Vries on the left, and the fullback's teasing cross needed to be tipped over the bar by Lawrence Thomas, who gratefully grabbed the ball in the tenth minute after Sam Cosgrove had just failed to get on the end of Brook's header inside, Jesse Randall having picked him out with a clipped cross to the far post. Auckland were building a strong momentum, and in the nineteenth minute, de Vries caught Angus Thurgate in possession before letting fly from the edge of the penalty area. This effort flew narrowly past the post, but Western Sydney made a pig's ear of the resulting goal kick, Cosgrove robbing Alexander Bonetig of the ball just outside the penalty area. The beanpole striker is an acquired taste football-wise, but his willingness to put himself about means he's a pest as far as opposing defences are concerned, and on this occasion he created an opening for Louis Verstraete, who should have been rewarded for his efforts with a penalty when Thurgate and Bonetig combined to fell him inside the area. Auckland's disappointment at not being awarded a spot-kick swiftly turned to delight in the 21st minute when Randall broke the deadlock. This time it was a poor clearance by Thomas which opened the door, and the winger - a far better personal performance this week than last, given he was being employed in his preferred position this time round - latched onto Verstraete's pass and lashed the ball between the 'keeper and his near post to open the scoring. Western Sydney sought a swift riposte, with Brandon Borello and Bozhidar Kraev - a super through ball - combining for the benefit of Costa Barbarouses in the 26th minute. Michael Woud was alert to the danger and duly snuffed it out at close quarters, after which Auckland continued to create openings while the visitors probed for same for no reward. Jake Brimmer went close from twenty-five yards just after the half-hour mark, while Hiroki Sakai headed a Randall corner inside when heading it into the net seemed the easier option. Then May slipped a 36th minute pass inside to Brook, whose fiercely struck twenty-five yarder bounced awkwardly in front of Thomas, who did well to turn the effort to safety. Six minutes before half-time, a poor clearance by Woud landed at the feet of Borello on the edge of the penalty area, but Dan Hall was on his case in a heartbeat to snuff out the danger and spare his goalkeeper's blushes. The danger wasn't over, however, for Thurgate was soon in possession, and delivered a cross which Sakai headed away as far as Kraev. He evaded a couple of challenges before letting fly, prompting a parried save from Woud. Back came Auckland, Jake Girdwood-Reich, May and Brimmer combining to play Randall through the inside left channel, his twenty yard drive being directed straight at Thomas, who was relieved to

see Thurgate block the winger's shot seconds later after Randall had rampaged down the left at pace. The home team continued to press, a de Vries throw-in being cleared to Sakai, who spread play wide to Verstraete. His measured cross created chaos, with Ugarkovic's attempted clearance ricocheting off Bonetig and rebounding goalwards, Thomas having to grab the ball beneath his crossbar to prevent an own goal from being registered. Unperturbed, Auckland came again, de Vries' measured cross to the far post inviting Cosgrove to attack it. Instead, to the dismay of "The Port" fans massed behind the goal, he stood still and watched as Bonetig was allowed a free header, which he directed out for a corner. Randall's delivery picked out Cosgrove, who this time attacked the ball, his header striking the arm of Aidan Simmons and ricocheting out for a … goal kick. As Auckland protested, referee Tim Danaskos blew the half-time whistle, concluding a half in which last season's league phase champions had been by far the better side. The second spell was more of an arm wrestle, with defences standing firm at both ends of the park. The visitors were first to threaten, Ugarkovic volleying narrowly over from fifteen yards after Kraev's cross on the run wasn't cleared five minutes into the half. Auckland responded via May, whose long-range effort was headed away by Bonetig. Girdwood-Reich was similarly called upon soon after to snuff out a Western Sydney attack to which Barbarouses, Ugarkovic, Kraev and Thurgate all contributed, before the home team went close on the hour, Brook's deft touch inviting Sakai to raid down the right and work a one-two with May, only for Alex Gorsbach to intervene at the vital moment. Fifteen minutes from time, de Vries' raking cross-field ball invited May to take on the Western Sydney defence, the playmaker duly setting up Cosgrove to let fly from twenty-five yards. Thomas proved equal to this, then flew to his right to keep out a ferocious snapshot from Brook four minutes later, before launching himself to his left to brilliantly tip a twenty-yarder from May onto the post after the Uruguayan had worked a one-two with Logan Rogerson. That 85th minute denial was far from Thomas' last of the game, as both Rogerson and fellow substitute Callan Elliot had reason to be frustrated by the goalkeeper's excellent positioning in the minutes that followed. Western Sydney created very little after that initial flurry at the start of the half, but in stoppage time, they finally realised that they had to score to secure a point, and duly threatened twice in the remaining minutes. Borello got to the right-hand by-line before delivering a cross which Alou Kuol headed past the far post, while fellow substitute Aidan Hammond hammered a fifteen-yarder narrowly past the near post soon after. But it was far too little, far too late from the visitors, who deserved a 1-0 defeat which Auckland will feel should have been greater, and would have been but for the exploits of Thomas in keeping the score down. Auckland:     Woud; Sakai, Hall, Girdwood-Reich, de Vries; Brook (Francois, 90), Brimmer (Howieson, 90), Verstraete, Randall (Elliot, 86); Cosgrove (booked, 73 (Rogerson, 77)), May West. Sydney:     Thomas; Simmons (Tongyik, 77), Pantazopoulos, Bonetig, Gersbach; Ugarkovic (Kuol, 66), Brillante (Scicluna, 66 (booked, 88)), Thurgate, Kraev; Barbarouses (Hammond, 77), Borello Referee:     Tim Danaskos