4 Jul 2011

Caversham into Chatam quarterfinals

10:02 am on 4 July 2011

The Caversham football club reached the quarterfinals of the Chatham Cup with a free-flowing 6-4 fourth round win over Christchurch's Coastal Spirit in Dunedin on Sunday but were made to work hard by the 10-man Cantabrians.

Anton Ross put the home side in front midway through the fist half but Ash Wellbourn got on the end of a free kick to balance the ledger heading into halftime.

Caversham looked to have the game under control within five second half minutes that contained goals to Tom Schwarz and Darren Overton, as well as a red card to Spirit's Paul Battison, but the short-handed visitors fought back with goals to Tristan Nicol and Gareth Turnbull.

Overton's second restored the lead, only for Turnbull to reply with another of his own but goals in the final five minutes from Patrick Fleming and Ant Hancock sealed Caversham's progress.

Late winners were needed elsewhere as Keegan Linderboom's 86th minute free kick sealed a 1-0 win for Waitakere City over Central United, and Manurewa's Eammonn O'Brien netted an 84th minute winner for his side against Birkenhead on Saturday.

Wairarapa United also prevailed 1-0 on Saturday, but needed an extra time strike from Seule Soromon to see off Wellington United and reach the final eight for the first time in the Chatham Cup's 89 year history.

Dunedin Technical won 2-1 at Roslyn Wakari but there were larger margins of victory for Bay Olympic, who thumped Waitemata 5-0, and Onehunga Sports who won 4-1 over Three Kings United.

Napier City Rovers were also comfortable winners notching a 3-0 home win over Palmerston Marist on Sunday.

The draw for the ASB Chatham Cup's quarterfinals, to be played on the weekend of July the 23rd and 24th, will be conducted on Tuesday at 2pm.