Soccer: Caversham banking on semi-final pressure

Caversham's Patrick Fleming. Photo / Paul Estcourt

Dunedin's Caversham are hoping the pressure of this weekend's Chatham Cup semi-finals will be a great leveller when they travel north to face Napier City Rovers at Park Island on Sunday.

Like Wairarapa United - who face Northern League champions-elect Bay Olympic in Auckland on Saturday afternoon - Caversham drew the short straw of an expensive away game, and the odds are now against them lining up in their first final on August 28.

In the last 10 editions of the 89-year-old knockout competition, the home side has won 12 of the 20 semi-finals.

While that suggests an advantage to playing at home, Caversham coach Richard Murray believes it may not be as clear as some would expect.

"I think the stat is more even than expected because the majority of the pressure is on the home team and the away team has nothing to lose," Murray said.

"The home team are in front of their own fans and the away side are going in there as underdogs and you'd expect to do quite well off that.

"But it goes both ways. With home advantage you know your park well, your routine doesn't change much and your fans are in behind you.

down and the fans helped get them home."

Caversham have been one of the most consistent Chatham Cup performers in recent years: this Sunday will be their fourth semi-final in the last six seasons, but the Dunedin club have yet to reach the final.

Murray thinks the time could be right to break that hoodoo.

"Part of it is the level of competition being higher in other centres and teams being used to playing higher quality matches week in and week out.

"But I also think it can be a mental thing and while reaching the semi-finals in four of the last six years is an achievement in itself, we've got to get over that hump at some stage and move on."

There will also be no lack of motivation in Saturday's semi-final between Bay Olympic and Wairarapa United at Olympic Park in New Lynn.

Bay Olympic tasted defeat in last year's final but their Northern League win has set up a potential league-cup double while Wairarapa, who are challenging for Central League honours, are looking to extend their best ever Chatham Cup run.

- NZPA