CHATHAM CUP: SMITH SEALS UNI CUPSET

April 25, 2018. ANZAC Day means different things to different people. An early start, a day of remembrance, a day off, or even the start of a Chatham Cup campaign. Cox’s Bay glistened on a beautiful autumnal afternoon as University of Auckland hosted West Auckland in today’s preliminary round. I wasn’t alone in not quite knowing what to expect, but that’s the Magic of the Cup.

The feeling out process proved academic. University built the early pressure and were rewarded with early corners as West Auckland struggled to contain their unfamiliar opponents. University had success holding their width and getting balls into the box. While West Auckland played comfortably out from the back, University continued to press and curtail the supply to the front two.

The crowd filtered through and grew towards 40-50. West Auckland headed wide moments before the home side took a deserved lead in the 16th minute. Joshua Nishitani-Hart swung a right-footed in-swinging corner towards the near post. Somehow, through a pile of bodies, the ball ended up in the goal and University were ahead.

The vocal encouragement increased from both sides. West Auckland skipper Wade Southgate told his team they were giving their opponents ‘too much time’ and he was right. The visitors made some positional changes in hope of disrupting University’s midfield dominance. Out of the University camp came ‘we are on top – let’s convert’.

West Auckland rallied and came close to going to the break on level terms. Adrian Morris curled in a long free kick too close to the keeper. In the end it floated towards the top corner and forced University keeper Louis Gribben to leap to his right. Back-to-back corners followed, but University eventually cleared without much fuss.

Just before the break, the FIFA website was visited and subsequently quoted when one – and there was only one – assistant referee was adamant a player must touch the ball to be ruled offside. On this occasion, and in my amateur opinion, the offending winger put sufficient pressure on the fullback to warrant flagging the play. A comical argument ensued and the assistant even offered up the flag to one of West Auckland's supporters.

I thought more might be made of it at half-time, but both parties went back in their boxes. University were ready to get back out there after eight minutes, but were informed that West Auckland were entitled to the full fifteen minutes. If you hadn’t seen the first half, that moment alone may have told you who had the run of play.

University showed the same positivity as play resumed. West Auckland knew they needed to score next and eight minutes in, Andrew Bias equalised. After Colin Brown forced Gribben into a save, Bias picked up the scraps, composed himself and slotted home into a partially open net.

West Auckland had the momentum, but they would need patience and finesse to break University down again. As West Auckland worked on a second goal, University sensed their moment. A counter-attack. The ball was cleared from a West Auckland corner and University were out in the open down the right wing. West Auckland’s defenders were drawn towards the ball and they left Seth Smith open in the middle of the field. Smith drove at West Auckland keeper Koshi Philips before slipping the ball into the bottom right corner.

At 2-1, and with more than half an hour to go, there was still plenty to play for. Dan Whiting was promptly introduced for West Auckland and he looked most likely. In a ten-minute period Whiting forced three saves from Gribben – an accurate free-kick, a bouncing headed corner and a weaving run.

With West Auckland committing numbers forward and Philips sitting further and further up the field, University threatened to finish the game off. On one occasion, Philips found himself wandering 35 metres from his line. University picked up the ball, but a long effort floated wide.

Brown had a late chance in the dying stages, but his effort from the edge of the box flew high and wide. While there was time, there was hope for West Auckland. A late shout for a penalty came and went as the visitors threatened right up until the end; University held on to book their spot in the next round.

On the balance of play, University definitely deserved to go through. They did a lot of good things. Kept possession. Held width. Maintained discipline. Stretched their opposition. Created chances. West Auckland came into their own too late in the piece. They threatened to send it to extra time, but time eventually ran out. That’s knockout football for you.

#SSL