Auckland City and YoungHeart Manawatu sit atop the New Zealand Football Championship after notching second straight wins in round two on Saturday, while Otago needed a dramatic injury-time penalty to beat Canterbury in the Southern derby on Sunday.

With first-round winners Waitakere United and Hawke’s Bay United having a week off NZFC duties due to Waitakere’s friendly against the Wellington Phoenix, Auckland’s 3-1 win away to Waikato and YoungHeart’s 3-0 home win over 10-man Team Wellington gave the pair a three-point jump on the field.

Waitakere and Hawke’s Bay hold on to their top four spots on goal difference, ahead of Otago, who joined them on three points thanks to a come-from-behind 2-1 win over their Southern rivals.

Canterbury, Waikato, and last season’s beaten finalists Wellington prop up the table without a point from their first two outings.

YoungHeart’s task in Palmerston North was made easier when Wellington fullback Steve Gulley received a 12th minute red card for his response to Gonzalo Nieres’ challenge, and the home side took just two minutes to take advantage through Jason Hayne’s well-timed strike.

The Manawatu winger would add a second ten minutes from time but the game was in effect wrapped up with Adam Cowan’s one-on-one finish midway through the first half.

Despite a perfect start for the side that finished sixth last season, new YoungHeart coach Bob Sova was quick to try and keep feet firmly placed on the ground.

“It is encouraging but we can hardly start acting cocky or arrogant at this stage of the season.”

Meanwhile, Waikato were planning a family atmosphere for their first outing at their new Ngaruawahia home, but Auckland City were doing all the celebrating after Milos Nikolic’s quick-fire double sealed all three points.

The second half substitute scored twice in the space of a minute, building on Paul Urlovic’s first half opener, and despite Steve Holloway’s late consolation from the penalty spot for Waikato, City’s 3-1 win gives the three-times former champions a slender lead – by merit of goals scored – at the top the table.

On Sunday, fast-starting Canterbury took an early lead over Otago in Dunedin through Ryan Faichnie’s 7th minute follow-up to Michalel Fifii’s rbounded shot, but the home side drew level through a David Dugdale header four minutes after halftime.

Dugdale completed the Otago fight-back in dramatic fashion, converting an injury time penalty won by Rhys Henderson for a sweet derby win.

Next Sunday, winless Waikato and Canterbury clash in Christchurch, while Wellington aim to get their season back on track away to Hawke’s Bay, and Manawatu would claim an outright lead should they beat Otago in Dunedin. Due to O-League commitments on Saturday, Waitakere take on Auckland City in the match of the round at Kiwitea Street the following Wednesday.