Southern United suffered its second ASB Premiership loss in five days in Hamilton last night.
The Dunedin-based team's 3-0 loss to WaiBOP United followed a 3-1 loss to Auckland on Sunday, and was the fifth straight loss of the season.
It leaves the Southerners languishing at the bottom of the table with just one win from eight games.
As the case has been all season, Southern United was generally toothless on attack. With Josh Stewart up front as a lone striker for most of the match, it was always going to be difficult to manufacture chances.
But with key striker Sam French out injured, Southern United coach Mike Fridge was not exactly spoilt for choice.
Southern United defended well for most of the game, particularly Caversham centre back Jude Fitzpatrick, who made a bunch of crucial challenges in the defensive third.
But Ryan Tinsley's 37th minute goal - the 100th of the ASB Premiership season - broke the first half deadlock and sparked the hosts into action.
Tinsley fired off his left foot after a loose ball fell to him inside the box. Josh Dijkstra (18), who made his Southern United debut in goal in place of the unavailable Tom Batty, got a hand on it but could not stop it slamming into the back of the net.
Stephen Hoyle almost made it 2-0 in the dying seconds of the first half, when a sloppy Southern United back-pass saw him gifted with a one-on-one chance with Dijkstra.
But the debutant keeper did well to force him wide, where his left-foot shot struck the outside of the near post.
Southern United had its own chances, particularly in the 18th minute, when captain Seamus Ryder headed a ball into the box down to striker Josh Stewart.
However, Stewart failed to connect with the ball and the home side was let off the hook.
WaiBOP left back Finn Cochran made it 2-0 in the 63rd minute.
He found himself in open space in the box, but probably should not have beaten Dijkstra from a tough angle.
But his shot rebounded off the young keeper's hands and trickled over the line.
Cochran's goal came shortly after Southern Untied midfielder Harley Rodeka almost scored courtesy of a blunder by WaiBOP keeper Zac Speedy.
Rodeka hit a free kick from a few metres outside the box directly at Speedy, who almost made a hash of it by letting it slip through his legs.
Hoyle made it 3-0 a couple of minutes from time, when he beat the offside trap and fired past Dijkstra in clinical fashion.
Hoyle's goal, the 102nd of the season, was the 20th goal conceded by Southern United this season.
It has scored just five of its own.
It was WaiBop United's first win at home this season, and the three points ensure it keeps the pressure on the top four teams.
Southern United's next game is Sunday week against Hawkes Bay United, at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin.
Southern v WaiBOP
The scores
WaiBOP United 3
Ryan Tinsley 37, Finn Cochran 63, Stephen Hoyle 88
Southern United 0
Halftime: 1-0
