Soccer: Outsiders Marist end Central's chances

By TERRY MADDAFORD


Palmerston North side upset the favourites to book their place in the Chatham Cup semis

Colin Tuaa's Palmerston North Marist are the only club left with a chance of getting their name on the Chatham Cup for the first time.

In the upset of the quarter-finals, the Manawatu side beat favourites Central United 1-0 to book their place alongside former cup-winners Waitakere City, Eastern Suburbs and Miramar Rangers in next month's semifinals.

Allan Jones took his Central side south for yesterday's David and Goliath clash but returned home empty-handed after a late Michael Sands goal gave the vocal crowd at Memorial Park the result they were hoping for but hardly expected.

Jones, who had watched Marist in a league game the previous weekend, was under no illusions, expecting the well-drilled side to give his young team a battle royal in their chase for a place in the last four.

Their name will go into the hat tonight when the draw for the Bluebird-sponsored competition is made alongside five-time winners Eastern Suburbs, who had to fight for their victory at Fraser Park.

Down 0-2 inside 16 minutes, Suburbs fought back to 2-2 by halftime with goals from Stu Bola and Andrew Webber.

There was no second-half scoring but the issue was resolved eight minutes into extra time when Riki van Steeden netted the golden goal.

Three-time cup winners Waitakere City also needed a golden goal to beat fellow northern premier side East Coast Bays at Bay City Park.

Stung when Nick Hyde scored in the third minute, Waitakere hit back five minutes later when the Bays defence failed to clear a Michael Williams freekick and James Slack provided the final touch.

Waitakere took the lead in the 73rd minute when Geoff Gray hit home a penalty, but that lead was short-lived as Allister Sturm smashed a volley for 2-2.

It was all over 90s into extra time when another well-placed Williams freekick was back-headed by a Bays defender for an own goal.

The close scoring continued in Christchurch, where Miramar needed an 82nd-minute winner from Graham Little after Gareth Turnbull had equalised in the 36th minute, just after Tim Butterfield had given Miramar the lead with a penalty.

An Amber Hearn hat-trick helped Lynn Avon to beat Waitakere City 8-0 and stay on track to defend the Uncle Tobys Knockout Cup.

They will be joined in tonight's semifinal draw by Three Kings United, Palmerston North-based Massey University and Wellington's Seatoun.