Soccer: First-timers hope to do enough to see their names gracing cups

Grant Hastings. Photo / APN

Three of the four teams lining up in tomorrow's cup finals have the opportunity to see their names engraved for the first time. The odd ones out, Chatham Cup finalist Napier City Rovers, are chasing their place among the most successful cup teams.

Rovers, four-time winners and once a beaten finalist, have only cup giants Mt Wellington (seven wins), North Shore United and Christchurch United (six) and Eastern Suburbs (five) above them after 83 finals since 1923.

Napier go into the match as warm favourites but as Wairarapa showed in ending Bay Olympic's chase for a second successive final, no team would dare underestimate the Phil Keinzley-coached side.

In a strange irony, both Central League sides were put out by eventual winners Miramar Rangers last season. Wairarapa went down 3-2 in round three and Napier, also by the odd goal, two rounds later.

Both coaches head into the final determined to give it their best shot.

"It's pretty hard for anyone to say this is just a game - this is an occasion," said Napier coach Grant Hastings. "I have been stressing to the players that they really have achieved something very special by getting this far. This is an 89-year-old trophy and there are probably less than 2000 people with winner's medals. They can be proud of what they've achieved."

In the Wairarapa, United's Cinderella run has generated plenty of local buzz.

"You have to accept that things are different this week," said Keinzley. "I've told the team that we can't ignore the attention so enjoy the moment but we won't be doing anything different on the pitch.

"The job's not finished. We need to realise that making the final wasn't our aim. We want to win the thing."

Heading into the women's final, the rival coaches of Glenfield Rovers and Coastal Spirit - both chasing a first cup triumph for their clubs - can agree on two things, the Aucklanders start as favourites but that anything can happen in a final.

"I think based on the players we've got with international experience, it's probably fair to call us favourites but it's a 90-minute game with two teams," said Glenfield coach Craig Alexander.

Despite a tougher league environment, Glenfield's run to their second Knockout Cup final only included one fellow Northern League opponent - the semifinal against Eastern Suburbs (won 4-1) - but Alexander says the recent league defeat to Fencibles gave them a timely wake-up call.

Coastal Spirit took on three rivals from the Mainland League as well as Football South champions Roslyn Wakari and Central League winners Waterside Karori.

"For us our number one objective for this season was this competition," said Spirit coach Gareth Turnbull. "So to have those tough games means it's the same preparation, the same mental desire to get up for them from a group who knows that the number one objective for the year is gone if we lose."

Finals time

18th ASB Women's Knockout Cup

Coastal Spirit v Glenfield Rovers
Memorial Park, Palmerston North
Tomorrow 11am.
Referee: Renee Silvester

84th Chatham Cup

Napier City Rovers v Wairarapa United
Memorial Park, Palmerston North
Tomorrow 2pm
Referee: Peter O'Leary