Miramar Rangers 3
Bay Olympic 1
Miramar Rangers justified their short-priced favouritism with a no-nonsense 3-1 all-the-way win over a spirited Bay Olympic to claim their fourth Chatham Cup at North Harbour Stadium yesterday.
Miramar joined fellow Wellington club Waterside, Western, Napier City Rovers and Central United as four-time winners with only cup greats Mt Wellington (7), North Shore United and Christchurch United (6) and Eastern Suburbs (5) now ahead of them.
Rangers, ahead 2-0 in less than 20 minutes and seemingly in total control almost tripped up as Cameron Knowles' Bay Olympic rallied, got one back and then continued to test man of the match Phil Imray in the Miramar goal.
"We have been ahead 2-0 at various times during the season and then found ourselves under pressure. It has been a dangerous scoreline for us," said jubilant coach Matt Calcott in savouring his team's triumph. "They were always a danger."
Bay Olympic repeatedly tested them on the flanks stretching the Miramar defence and leaving Imray to pull off timely saves.
Asked whether he was aware of the Aucklanders' ability out wide, Calcott admitted he had done his homework and had watched, or had Bay Olympic watched, "three or four times".
Like many, Calcott was surprised when Knowles went to his bench after just 32 minutes replacing Ross McKenzie with Julyan Collett.
Knowles said he needed to change things and he certainly got more mobility with Collett joining Joe Edwards and Yoji Tanabe in asking questions of the Miramar defence.
"I think we had enough chances," said Knowles. "But missing a penalty did not help. We felt they were starting to struggle a bit at halftime and wanted to lift the pace but we couldn't finish it. Phil Imray makes himself pretty big in the goal which didn't help."
At the other end Imray's opposite Danny Robinson did not have a game he will remember fondly.
He spilled a 12th minute Darren Cheriton freekick to the feet of Tim Schaffers who smashed the ball home and eight minute later failed to get to the ball headed across the face of his goal by Jonathan Rowe to Campbell Parkin who provided the finish for 2-0.
Down but far from finished the locals rallied. Tristan McCormick was just wide and McKenzie capped Bay Olympic's most promising sortie with a snap shot which demanded a superb reflex save from Imray.
From their third corner, in the 34th minute, they were rewarded when Craig Wylie's ball beyond the far post was headed back by Tanabe to Nathan Strom who headed home.
There were early second half chances for Leighton Willis from a Wylie freekick and Collett from a Strom long throw with Imray foiling both.
Tanabe and Colin Gardyne later had half chances but in the end the final say was with the impressive Michael White who gathered well, undid Wylie's half-hearted defensive effort and slotted at the near post for 3-1 with 15 minutes to play.
"They say you have to lose one to win one," said Knowles later. "So, hopefully, we will be back."
