Soccer: Shootout no drama for goalie

Deep down, goalkeepers love penalty shootouts.

It's their chance to be the hero and, if they're not, it's not usually their fault.

Danny Robinson hopes his Bay Olympic side can claim today's Chatham Cup final against Miramar Rangers at North Harbour Stadium without having to go to spot kicks but he has no fear of them.

He was the hero in Bay Olympic's dramatic semifinal success when they beat Dunedin side Caversham on penalties 4-1 after the game finished 3-3.

He saved two penalties that day, and people soon forgot the fact he made a couple of crucial errors that cost goals.

"You've got nothing to lose as a goalie [in a penalty shootout]," Robinson says. "Put it this way, I would rather be wearing the gloves than taking the penalty.

"I try to read the run-up of the player as best I can and go which way I think they will go. Someone did some statistics which showed that if you stayed in the middle, you will stop 70 per cent of them. But really, it's just guesswork."

Miramar have their own goalkeeper with a history of success in penalty shootouts. Phil Imray was man of the match for his heroics in the 2006 final when Wellington's Western Suburbs beat Auckland's Eastern Suburbs 3-0 on penalties after the game ended 0-0.

Miramar have a little more experience of Cup finals, with Imray, Darren Cheriton, Michael Smith, Jon Rowe and Campbell Parkin having all played in one before.

Coach Matt Calcott also coached Western Suburbs to the 2007 final and was assistant coach the year before.

Bay Olympic's Andrew Campbell and captain Craig Wylie were both in Waitakere City's side which lost the 2004 final to Miramar.

For Robinson, however, today's match will be his third final of the year. He also played in the NZFC and O-League finals when in goal for Waitakere United.

"It's been a big year for me. I played in a Lancashire FA Cup Youth League final for Blackpool when I was 18 but that was my only previous experience of finals before this year," the 28-year-old former Blackpool and Burton Albion professional says.

"Sometimes it's meant to be and sometimes it's not. I think we will do well [today]. We have a strong self-belief and enough experience to get a result."