Soccer: Quick visit pays dividends for revved-up Olympic

Chatham Cup
Eastern Suburbs 1
Wgtn Olympic 4

Wellington Olympic spent a little over eight hours in Auckland yesterday but it was enough time to book their place in the semi-finals of the Chatham Cup after a comprehensive win over Eastern Suburbs.

Olympic flew into Auckland yesterday morning and were winging their way back to Wellington early last night after claiming the first spot in the final four.

Going into the quarter-finals, Suburbs had been rated second favourites to lift the Chatham Cup this year behind Central United but they were beaten in every department by a composed Olympic side.

Their chances weren't helped when former All White Sean Douglas was ruled out with a calf injury and fellow co-coach Jonathan Perry played only half an hour because of a lack of match fitness.

But they still had experienced campaigners like Riki Van Steeden, Hoani Edwards and Nathan Christie available.

Their afternoon got off to the worst possible start when goalkeeper Sean Dowling gift-wrapped a goal to Graham Little in the 20th minute.

He rolled the ball out to a defender only for the Olympic striker to secure possession and chip a stranded and very embarrassed Dowling.

In many ways it summed up Suburbs' day and from that moment the five-time Chatham Cup winners were forced to play catch-up.

They drew level momentarily when Nathan Palmer profited from another goalkeeping error, this time from James Banantyne, and stabbed home from short range.

But the impressive Jared Curtis restored Olympic's lead three minutes later with a well-taken strike - a lead the Wellington side never relinquished.

While the groans from the home side increased in volume as firstly Geoff Brown and then Little increased the lead, so too did a few gasps ring out from the 300-strong spectators as the ferocity of the tackles increased.

The rising frustration levels among the Suburbs side were evident and it was no surprise that four players found their names in the referee's notebook.

The Olympic side remained composed throughout, however, and continued to play with a creativity lacking in their more highly-fancied opponents, especially through the likes of Little, Darren Cheirton, Brown and Curtis.

Olympic's skipper Cheirton expected the convincing scoreline would send out a statement to their potential opponents.

"From what we've seen and what we've heard [of the other sides], I think we have the team to go all the way," Cheirton said.

"It doesn't really bother us where we go to play the next game because if you want to win the championship you have to beat any team.

"Obviously it would be nice to be at home but if it's away then we'll do the job again."

Olympic have never lifted the Chatham Cup but were beaten finalists in 1994.

But they have built a talented side with nine players who featured in the New Zealand Football Championship in their squad.

On the evidence of yesterday and considering they sit second in the Central League behind leaders Western Suburbs, they might make a few more statements before the season comes to an end.

Today, East Coast Bays play host to Central United, Papakura City travel to Christchurch side Halswell and Palmerston North Marist take on Lower Hutt City.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY