In two evenly-balanced match-ups, Dunedin football powerhouse Caversham welcome Bay Olympic to the Caledonian Ground on Saturday while three-time winners Miramar Rangers host 2008 champions East Coast Bays on Sunday.
Caversham have never made it to the final of the 87-year-old knockout competition – this year is just the second time they have made the last four – but their nine Southern Premier League titles in the past 10 years tells a tale of their local dominance.
However, it’s national recognition that has got Caversham and its coach Steve Fleming salivating.
“These chances don’t come around too often. We’ve never been to a final of the Chatham Cup but we’ve got a fairly proud history,” he says.
“We’ve won the league down here a few times of late and even going back a few years, Caversham have always been there or thereabouts in terms of flying the flag for the South. Now we’re at home in the semis, everyone is getting behind the club. We’re just hoping for a big crowd and the rest will take care of itself.”
Caversham eased through the early rounds with lopsided victories – including a 5-1 thrashing of arch-rivals Dunedin Technical in the second – before leaving it late in an extra-time quarterfinal win over Ferrymead Bays in Christchurch.
Fleming expects the Auckland visitors, whose cup pedigree includes a win to one of its founding clubs, Blockhouse Bay, in 1970 to be even tougher but remains confident.
“The only difference is that Bay Olympic get more tough games regularly in the Northern League. But we get some tough games here, we’ve beaten the best teams in our region and that’s all we can do,” he says.
“You can look at all the statistics and opinions about the leagues but it’ll be who’s best on the day.”
Meanwhile, Miramar coach Matt Calcott is hoping that the faithful at David Farrington Park will spur his side into the club’s fifth final.
In the past 11 seasons, the Wellington club has been nigh unbeatable in cup games at home. A penalty shootout defeat to Palmerston North Marist in 2006 in the third round remains the only blot on its home record.
The club has exited at the semi-final stage three times in that same period, including last year, but did successfully navigate an away semi-final in 2004 on its way to lifting the trophy.
“This game means a lot,” Calcott says.
“The club have got to this stage a number of times in recent years without progressing so this group is very determined to go one further in front of a home crowd. To have a home semi-final for the first time in something like 15 years is a big bonus.”
Calcott is not underestimating Willy Gerdson’s East Coast Bays and recent scouting missions from both clubs seem likely to make Sunday’s encounter even closer.
“It’ll be tough. We’ve had a couple of looks at them recently and they have had a couple of looks at us. Sure, the teams will set their stall out accordingly but it’s about what happens on the day – momentum is so important in these games.”
Chatham Cup semi-finals
Caversham v Bay Olympic
Caledonian, Dunedin
Saturday 14 August, 2pm
Referee: Jamie Cross
Miramar Rangers v East Coast Bays
David Farrington Park, Wellington
Sunday 15 August
Referee: Antony Riley
Road to the final four:
Bay Olympic
QF: Forrest Hill Milford United 0 Bay Olympic 2
R4: Bay Olympic 3 Waitakere City 1
R3: Takapuna 0 Bay Olympic 5
R2: Bay Olympic 6 Lynn Avon United 1
Caversham
QF: Ferrymead Bays 3 Caversham 7 (aet, FT 2-2)
R4: Caversham 8 Roslyn Wakari 2
R3: Caversham 8 Mosgiel 0
R2: Caversham 5 Dunedin Technical 1
East Coast Bays
QF: East Coast Bays 2 Glenfield Rovers 1
R4: Three Kings United 1 East Coast Bays 2
R3: East Coast Bays 9 Auckland Grammar School 0
R2: East Coast Bays 1 Onehunga Sports 0
Miramar Rangers
QF: Miramar Rangers 3 Wellington United 1
R4: Napier City Rovers 1 Miramar Rangers 2
R3: Miramar Rangers 3 Lower Hutt City 2
R2: Miramar 3 Wairarapa United 2 (a.e.t, 1-1 FT)
R1: Miramar 9 Naenae 0
Story and photo courtesy of NZF Media.
For the latest news on NZ Football visit www.nzfootball.co.nz