Miramar fought back from an early deficit and the dismissal of their goalkeeper to claim a 2-1 win over North Shore’s East Coast Bays in Wellington on Sunday while 10-man Auckland’s Bay Olympic defeated Caversham 4-1 on penalties in Dunedin after their epic Saturday semi-final finished 3-3 after extra time.
Three-time winners Miramar had an uphill battle on their hands when goalkeeper Phil Imray was given his marching orders in the 19th minute by referee Antony Riley for bringing down a Bays player and Dan Peat gratefully slotted the resultant spot kick past replacement Joe Morris.
A penalty for a similar offence at the other end by East Coast Bays custodian John Fletcher allowed Michael Eager to draw Miramar level in the 35th minute and a rare foray into Bays’ end of the field in the second half led to defender Campbell Parkin heading the home side into a 55th-minute lead.
Short-handed Miramar defended like their lives depended on it, clearing a Dan Peat tap in off the line just after the hour mark, and just minutes later Morris palmed a chance onto the crossbar with the Bays follow-up headed off the line.
The numerical balance was restored late in the game when defender Glen Forrest was red-carded for bringing down Miramar striker Dominic Rowe.
On Saturday, Bay Olympic goalkeeper Danny Robinson saved two penalties, including one from Tom Jackson who he had earlier gifted Caversham’s first goal, to book his side’s ticket to North Harbour Stadium.
Yoji Tanabe scrambled home a fifth-minute opener for Bay Olympic but Jackson made the most of a Robinson spill in the 21st minute to draw the home side level.
The 66th minute dismissal of Olympic captain Craig Wylie for a dangerous tackle looked to have swung the game firmly in the home side’s favour but Tanabe got on the end of a trademark Nathan Strom long throw three minutes later to head the visitors into an unlikely lead.
Ant Hancock finally drew Caversham level two minutes from fulltime to send the game into extra time and four minutes into the extension Seamus Ryder was on hand to finish off a shot initially saved by Robinson.
Another long throw and a goalmouth scramble led to defender Richard Beeston making it 3-3 in the 101st minute and, with no further score in the second period of extra time, it was left for Robinson’s heroics to send the Auckland club through to winter football’s domestic showpiece.
Chatham Cup Semi-finals
Saturday
Caversham 3 (Tom Jackson 21’, Ant Hancock 88′, Seamus Ryder 94’)
Bay Olympic 3 (Yoji Tanabe 5’, 69’; Richard Beeston 101’)
a.e.t, 2-2 FT, Bay Olympic win 4-1 on penalties
Halftime: 1-1
Craig Wylie (Bay Olympic) sent off 66’
Sunday
Miramar Rangers 2 (Michael Eagar 35’-pen, Campbell Parkin 55’)
East Coast Bays 1 (Dan Peat 19’-pen)
Halftime: 1-1
Phil Imray (Miramar) sent off 18’
Glen Forrest (ECB) sent off 88’
Chatham Cup Final
Bay Olympic v Miramar Rangers
North Harbour Stadium
Sunday September 5, 2010
Kickoff tbc
Story and photo courtesy of NZF Media.
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