KEY POINTS:
CHATHAM CUP
Glenfield Rovers 3 Central United 2
When David brazenly took his sling and five stones with him to take on the Philistine giant Goliath he was convinced he would defeat his much-bigger opponent.
While Glenfield might not have been quite so assured they would succeed against holders Central United yesterday, they were quietly confident of at least pushing their more-favoured opponents.
Even so, Rovers yesterday caused the biggest upset of this year's Chatham Cup when they came back from 2-0 down to claim a dramatic and well-deserved victory courtesy of a Jason Hicks goal with seconds left on the clock.
Glenfield advance to the semifinals for the first time in the club's history, where they were joined by East Coast Bays, who also advanced to the final four for their first time after demolishing nine-man Waitakere City 6-0.
In the two other quarter-finals, Nelson Suburbs were to tackle last year's beaten finalists Western Suburbs today, while Dunedin Technical were to host Miramar Rangers.
It is now anybody's cup and Glenfield assistant coach Craig Alexander, who appears to be only assistant in name given his influence on this side, believes they have a good a chance as anyone in winning the Chatham Cup.
Two months ago nobody would have given them a chance given they were bottom of the United Soccer 1 Premiership. Before yesterday they were on a run of six wins in seven games, which included a haul of 39 goals for and seven against.
"If you beat the holders, and they are the yardstick of winter football in this country, you would have to say we have a chance," Alexander said. "We will have to see what the draw dishes up and then start all over."
It was hard work that handed Glenfield the win yesterday. Technically they were not as good as the Central players looking for their third Chatham Cup in four years.
But they hassled and harried their opponents right across the park, even when trailing by two goals, and pushed forward quickly.
It was classic Allan Jones football. It is no coincidence, then, that Alexander was Jones' No 2 when Auckland City claimed the first two NZFC titles and Alexander has also had a long association with Central.
"I have worked with a lot of the Central players, so I knew what they were going to do," Alexander said. "They have quality all over the park but we gave our guys very specific instructions to a man and, by and large, they fulfilled them."
The plan wasn't to go down 2-0 inside 35 minutes, however. David Richmond slotted home after an incisive run by Sam Mathews in the 14th minute and Grant Young doubled Central's lead 20 minutes later.
Crucially for Glenfield, however, they got one back through Kuba Sinkora just before halftime that got them back into the game. Fero Mudrik equalised five minutes after the restart and as the game seemed destined to head into extra time Hicks drove home a low shot past Central goalkeeper Richard Gillespie to complete the fairy-tale ending.
It was a much easier day for East Coast Bays yesterday as the US1 Premiership leaders routed a Waitakere side that had both Stu Hogg and Ash Solly sent off.
