Soccer: University-Mt Wellington beat Melville in Chatham Cup final

UNIVERSITY-MT WELLINGTON 3 MELVILLE 1 - By TERRY MADDAFORD

University Mt Wellington captain Paul Bunbury was "gutted" when he was not given a start in today's Chatham Cup final against giantkilling Melville United.

Coach Lee Root kept his experienced midfielder, back from suspension and injury, on the sideline at North Harbour Stadium until just before halftime when, trailing 1-0, he unleashed Bunbury for the injured Theary Thou.

A little over 45 minutes later Bunbury raised the coveted cup in triumph. The come-from-behind 3-1 win, their seventh in 30 years, established the Panmure-based club as the most successful in a competition first played 80 years ago.

For the young Melville side it was always going to be hard. From the confines of Gower Park and other northern league grounds, the step on to the vast stadium pitch was a daunting challenge.

In the end, the statistics told the story of this Bluebird-sponsored cup final.

Melville went ahead after just 3m 51s, when Stewart Watene - a surprise starter - ran on to a long ball, beat a Sean Douglas challenge and hit his left-foot shot in off the near post giving goalkeeper Tamati Williams little hope. But, sadly for Paul Nixon's team and their faithful supporters, that was their lot.

The Hamilton-based side forced only two corners, and none after the 23rd minute, to the 13 won by Uni-Mount.

After one shot inside a minute and Watene's success a couple of minutes later, Melville had just three other shots on goal. At the other end, Uni-Mount tested Melville goalkeeper Eddie Trubshoe 14 times - seven in each half.

Uni-Mount's failure to turn half chances into goals in the first half was a concern. In the end their greater experience won through.

In being able to call on players like Douglas, man of the match Kara Waetford, Bunbury, Heath McCormack and Japanese midfielder Tetsumasa Kimura, Root knew he had the experience to come back.

The equaliser was 53 minutes in coming. After three chances early in the second spell, they finally drew level when a long ball bounced through to Waugh, who staved off challenges from Cole Tinkler and Gavin Douglas before flicking the ball neatly over the advancing Trubshoe.

In the 76th minute, Uni-Mount went ahead. Again Waugh made the run, beat two defenders before chesting the ball on to McCormack in what appeared to everyone but those who mattered an offside position, from where he buried it.

There was no doubt about the match clincher two minutes from time when Kimura played the ball to Waugh who found McCormack who gave substitute Gordon Glen-Watson and Trubshoe no chance.

Gavin Douglas led Melville bravely and could look back on a job well done, as could Tinkler and midfielder Grant Cooper.

"It was disappointing but they deserved it," said Melville coach Nixon. "We needed another goal soon after we scored to kill it off. It didn't come. It was a very hard ask once they got back to 1-1.

"The big pitch helped them for sure. In the end that and their greater experience was the difference."

Bunbury savoured a second cup-winner's medal.

"I've come from the depths of despair to the highest of highs in a pretty short time today," he said.

The Uncle Tobys women's Knockout Cup final was a triumph for Sara Clapham and her Lynn Avon team-mates.

Lynn Avon went ahead in the 28th minute. Clapham added her second three minutes later and completed her hat-trick after 50 minutes.

Michelle Keinzley stretched the lead to 4-0 in the 79th minute before Margot Bowker snatched a late consolation for Ellerslie a minute from time.

It was Lynn Avon's second successive win and fourth overall. Player of the match Clapham is the fourth to score three in a final.