First half goals to Ash Wellbourn and Dan Terris were enough to see off the last club to win consecutive crowns as five-time winners Central got on the board via Emiliano Tade’s excellent individual goal in the 14th minute.
Playing in front of over 2,700 fans, Cashmere Technical midfielder Stu Kelly was named the winner of the Jack Batty Trophy as the game’s most valuable player.
Cashmere Technical coach John Brown said Sunday’s performance was especially pleasing given last year’s win on home turf.
“I couldn’t be more proud of them, they were excellent,” Brown said.
“Last year a few people said ‘you got the home game and you never played Central’ so we’ve put both of those to bed today.
“It feels a bit special, we had a target of being the champions and I felt the lads worked really hard and probably deserved it just in the end.”
After the achievement of back-to-back titles, Brown was asked if he and his team are already eying the first three-peat since Waitakere City won three straight crowns from 1994 but the Cashmere Technical leader said he had more immediate tasks to worry about.
“We’ve got a final next week in the English Cup and we’ll see after that if the lads are up for it.”
On Sunday his group definitely were up for it as Wellbourn’s fourth minute strike got Cashmere on the front foot early as Central hesitated with a chance to clear and the Cashmere striker eventually poked the ball home from close range.
Ten minutes later Tade had the 2012 champions back on level terms after a wonderful solo run which left two Cashmere players trailing before he expertly tucked home beyond goalkeeper Danny Knight.
Buoyed by that response, Central grew into the game and started to string together more consistent possession phases and several half chances, included a deflected Tade effort, came and went before the game’s decisive moment arrived four minutes before the break.
Aaron Clapham’s whipped corner to the back post was powerfully headed down by Terris leaving Central goalkeeper Blaz Bugarin with no chance.
Cashmere defended their lead well in the second period with Central unable to find the goal they needed to force extra time despite coach Jose Figueira mixing things up as his side tried to find a way back.
“You’re always disappointed after losing the final but after trailing and coming out in the second half I thought we did everything we could,” Figueira said.
“We changed the shape and created chances but I thought the goalkeeper [for Cashmere] was absolutely fantastic.
“We’ll give it another crack next year.”
ASB Chatham Cup Final 2014
Central Utd FC 1-2 Cashmere Technical (half: 1-2)
CEN: Emiliano Tade 14’
CSH: Ash Wellbourn 4’, Dan Terris 41’
Central Utd FC: 24. Blaz Bugarin (GK), 4. Joseph Dawkins (capt), 6. Takuya Iwata, 8. Dean Lausev (9. Regont Murati 87’), 10. Karl Reimann, 12. Fabrizio Tavano (19. James Hoyt 75’), 15. Ivan Vicelich, 16. Dae Wook Kim, 17. Adam McGeorge (11. Mario Ilich 51’), 20. Emiliano Tade, 21. Finn Cochran
Substitutes not used: 1. Keegan Ashdown-Inia (GK), 3. Nick Dale
Cashmere Technical: 1. Danny Knight (GK), 2. Dan Terris, 3. Nick Wortelboer (16. Jordan Halligan 80’), 4. Tom Schwarz (capt), 5. Dan Schwarz, 7. Julyan Collett, 8. Stu Kelly, 10. Ash Wellbourn (19. Cory Mitchell 85’), 11. Shawn O’Brien (12. Andy Barton 61’), 18. Aaron Clapham, 33. Danny Boys.
Substitutes not used: 14. Ben Howes, 22. Pieter Bierema (GK)
For more on New Zealand Football visit www.nzfootball.co.nz.

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