2011 Chatham Cup Final

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Chatham Cup's Cinderella Story Ends In Triumph

by Jeremy Ruane

They have been the Cinderella story of the 2011 ASB Chatham Cup, and on August 28 at Palmerston North's Memorial Park, Wairarapa United completed their rags to riches fairy-tale story by lifting the coveted trophy after downing Napier City Rovers 2-1 in a fast-paced physical final.

Defences dominated the opening stages of the match, with Napier's Bill Robertson producing a vital clearance off the nose of United's Seule Soromon, soon after James Oxtoby had executed the perfect block tackle to thwart the progress of Rovers' Josh Stevenson down the left.

Towering over all-comers, however, was United's Scott Robson, who had a superb game at the heart of his team's defence, and was a richly deserving recipient of the Jack Batty Trophy, the prize for the Cup Final's star turn.

Soromon wasn't far behind him, however, and in the eighteenth minute he teamed up with the speedy Dale Higham down the right to prise open Rovers' rearguard. Higham's low cross was parried away from goal by Napier goalkeeper Shaun Peta, but straight into the stride of Adam Cowan. United's captain fired the loose ball wildly over the bar.

The good-sized and vocal crowd - there were easily 2000 folk in attendance - then saw Napier go close via a header from their unmarked captain, Regan Cameron, who rose to meet Stu Wilson's free-kick to the far post in the twentieth minute.

Four minutes later, Wairarapa opened the scoring, and inevitably Higham was involved - Napier struggled to cope with his pace all game long. This time, the flank player made a solo raid down the right which culminated in a peach of a cross to the far post, where Soromon rose to direct a powerful downward header beyond the despairing dive of Peta and into the bottom right-hand corner of the net.

That set the game up splendidly, with United maintaining the ascendancy on numerous occasions over the next fifteen minutes. Cowan made a great break down the left just after the half-hour mark which culminated in his cross being cleared to Pita Rabo, who worked a wonderful one-two with Soromon on the edge of the penalty area.

Rabo sent his shot sizzling over the bar on this occasion, while two minutes later he went down under the challenge of Peta in the penalty area, after Wairarapa's Fijian connection had again combined to cause Napier cause for concern aplenty.

Referee Peter O'Leary, fresh from taking charge of the FIFA U-20 World Cup quarter-final between Portugal and Argentina, deemed no offence had taken place, even though Rabo required treatment before he could continue.

While he was receiving it, United attacked again, with Higham and Cowan carving Napier's left flank open once more before the latter whipped in a wicked cross which picked out Waisaki Sabatu.

The big defender directed his stabbed effort against the crossbar - a real let-off for Rovers, who looked to get back into the contest six minutes before half-time through Stevenson. He picked out Stu Wilson with a measured pass which allowed the striker to

with a curling effort narrowly past the far post.

Soromon squandered a glorious chance to all but make the game safe for Wairarapa on the stroke of half-time when spurning a one-on-one chance with just Peta to beat. His shot across the face of goal gave Napier hope, as did Matt Borren's stumble in his penalty area just after half-time - United's 'keeper recovered to clear as Andy Pickering hurtled in, looking to take advantage of the error.

Eight minutes into the second half, Wairarapa spurned another gilt-edged chance to double their lead, this time from the penalty spot. Higham's pacy run came to grief when Danny Wilson brought him down in the penalty area, but Cowan was unable to capitalise, directing his shot against the bar.

Would that miss come back to haunt Wairarapa? After Napier's Lee Jackson and Soromon, with a dipping thirty yard volley, had exchanged shots on goal, one could be forgiven it would, as Napier levelled matters in the 67th minute.

Poor defending was punished mercilessly by Fergus Neil, who said 'Thanks very much' as United defenders looked on in disbelief, their failure to deal with a Napier throw-in and cross allowing the fullback to waltz through and pick his spot beyond Borren, who had been largely untroubled to this point.

1-1, and the game very much in the balance over the course of the next fifteen minutes, although Napier weren't able to make the head-way they liked with Robson in imperious form.

Wairarapa, on the other hand, were able to cause their opponents some headaches, with Neil forced to clear hurriedly as Soromon wriggled his way through twenty minutes from time, while Cowan went close ten minutes later as Rabo and Soromon weaved their wizardry once more.

Eight minutes from time, Robertson again came to Napier's rescue as Soromon was again foiled, while a fine save by Peta three minutes later saw him tip substitute Adam Milne's rasping drive over the bar - the save of the match.

It was all for nought, however. The resulting corner was cleared downfield, but Borren, despite being half-way between his penalty area and the half-way line, hammered the ball back downfield with interest. Napier allowed it to bounce, and as so often happens, they paid the price, with Rabo darting in to head the ball over Peta and into the empty net beyond.

Wairarapa were delighted, and little wonder, given they were leading 2-1 in the Cup Final with four minutes left to play. And that's how it remained, United keeping Napier at bay throughout the time remaining to record their greatest ever triumph - their maiden Chatham Cup win.

Wairarapa: Borren; Oxtoby, Robson, Sabatu; Higham, Ishi (booked 57) (Tvaroh, 90), Cooksley (booked, 49), Rabo, Shailer (Milne, 50); Soromon, Cowan

Napier: Peta; Jackson (Exeter, 68), Robertson, D. Wilson, Cameron (booked, 17); Neil (O'Meagher, 86), Hastings, Price, Stevenson; Pickering (Single, 58), S. Wilson

Referee: Peter O'Leary

Chatham Cup