KEY POINTS:
Cup finals football has gone back to the old days of north versus south for today's Chatham and NZ Women's Knockout Cup clashes.
South Island teams have rarely had a say in recent years as teams from the north have dominated the contests.
The Western women and Mike Fridge's Dunedin Technical are keen to change that at North Harbour Stadium this afternoon.
Chatham Cup finalist Technical are the first men's team from the south to play a final since they were at North Harbour Stadium in 1999 _ when they beat Waitakere City 4-0. A year earlier they went down to Central United 5-0.
Until the National League kicked off in 1970, all cup finals were North v South affairs _ usually played at Wellington's Basin Reserve.
The pickings have been even leaner for southern women.
The only mainland team in a Knockout Cup final were Nomads (Christchurch), who beat Waikato Unicol 4-3 on penalties after a 0-0 draw in the inaugural (1994) final.
Since 2001 all women's finals have been between two Auckland clubs with today's finalists, Lynn Avon United, winning five of the last seven.
It promises to be more of the same this afternoon with Lynn Avon hotly favoured to add to their haul.
Western player-coach Kelly Jarden _ who played in Nomads' win _ said the players she brought north yesterday were "more intrigued than intimidated by what awaits them" but warned: "We'll go out all guns blazing and try to foot it with them. We know it's going to be very tough, there's no doubt about it, but perhaps Lynn Avon will take us lightly.
"Seatoun [in the semifinals] did and we knocked them over."
That is unlikely this time. Lynn Avon boast many of New Zealand's best including players who put up a decent showing at the Olympics.
The Chatham Cup battle promises to be closer but, given their experience, the visitors might start slight favourites against a Bays side who have coasted through their local league and only been tested at cup time.
For Technical's in-form striker Aaron Burgess there is the chance to add a rare second Jack Batty Memorial Trophy as player of the final to his collection, having won the award in 1999. A win for the southern men would certainly enhance those hopes.
