Soccer: Tauranga ride cup dream to final

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Tauranga City have earned a shot at Chatham Cup glory following their 3-1 win over holders University Mt Wellington in yesterday's semifinals.

They will play three-time cup winners Napier City Rovers in the July 21 final following Napier's 4-2 home win over national league champions Miramar Rangers.

Both games were level 1-1 at halftime, but Tauranga, led by a Garry Board hat-trick, and Napier pulled away in the second spells to book themselves places in the final.

After nipping the ball away from Paul Caton, Stu Roberts gave Uni-Mount the early lead at Links Ave.

The visitors continued to press, but the loss of Mark McGinley with concussion disrupted them and let Tauranga back into the game, and Board scored the equaliser just before halftime.

Tauranga kept up the pressure and were rewarded with two further Board goals in the first 20 minutes of the second spell.

Front runners Brett Derry and Justin Creighton toiled well without reward for City.

Seales, looking forward to his first cup final, was well pleased.

"Uni-Mount played well early on, but we came back strongly," he said. "We are now looking forward to a trip to North Harbour Stadium."

Veteran Perry Cotton scored twice for Napier, with Shane Cunliffe and Peter Howe adding the others.

David Batty, from a freekick, and Andy Hedge scored for Miramar.

Napier will have Jonathan Taylor and Shane Smeltz back for the final after missing yesterday's game through All Whites commitments.

The Uncle Toby's women's knockout final, also on July 21, will be a replay of last year's clash between Ellerslie and Lynn Avon.

The Auckland sides had clear semifinal wins, Ellerslie beating Taradale 7-0 and Lynn Avon downing Nomads 5-0 in Christchurch.