Chatham Cup

Miramar Rangers' pedigree and impenetrable defence are the reasons it will start as favourite in the Chatham Cup quarterfinal match against Dunedin Technical at the Caledonian Ground tomorrow. 

The Wellington-based side is one of the marquee clubs in New Zealand football and has won the Cup on three occasions - 1966, 1992 and 2004.

It is undefeated in the Central League this season and has not conceded a goal in its last eight matches.

But it has four quality players missing and a trip to Dunedin on game day may sap the side of some energy.

Dunedin Technical last won the Cup in 1999 and, aside from a hiccup against Caversham in the Soccersouth Premier League last weekend, has been in good touch this season.

Veteran striker Aaron Burgess has scored 21 goals this season, and with Blair Scoullar at the back and Andy Coburn and Mike Cunningham in the midfield, Tech has a well-rounded side more than capable of progressing to the semifinals.

Tech coach Mike Fridge is under no illusion as to the size of the task ahead but is backing his side.

"I would say that Miramar are probably favourites for the tie, purely because they probably play in a stronger league than we play in here," he said'"That's not having a go at the teams here, but they [Miramar] get a strong game every week of the season . . . and they've been a good side in New Zealand football for the last decade or so.

"But when you get down to the last eight in any tournament you know you're in for a hard game.

"Obviously I don't have a crystal ball and don't know the outcome, but I have every confidence in our side.

"We're in Dunedin and we're playing at the Cale', and come Sunday night my expectations are to be in the semifinal of the Chatham Cup."

The key will be finding a hole in Miramar's defence.

It is well organised at the back, with Michael Woodside, Craig Alderdice, Allen Chote and Jamie Farrington snuffing out the most promising of attacks.

"Those four at the back have been rock solid for me," Miramar coach Graham Little said.

"They've formed a good combination."

Up front the attack has been blunted in the absence of striker Jeremy Brockie and Peter Housestead.

Brockie is on national duty with team-mates Jacob Spoonley and Cole Tinkler.

The three have been selected in the New Zealand under-23 side which will compete at the Beijing Olympics next month.

"Jeremy played eight games for us and scored nine goals, so he is a definite loss."

Spoonley and Tinkler had played just three games for the club between them this season and in that sense would not be missed, he said.

With Housestead overseas, Dominic Rowe would shoulder the lion's share of the goal-scoring responsibilities.

Miramar had a good workout against Lower Hutt City in the fourth round of Chatham Cup, winning 3-0.

Otherwise it has breezed into the quarterfinals and the team is riding high.

"We're confident. We've not conceded a goal in eight games and we've scored quite a few goals," Little said.

Dunedin Technical: Nick Tarrant, Hayden Gunn, Tristan Prattley, Ben Lamont, John Chisholm (captain), Richard Smith, John Lang, Mike Cunningham, Ross McKenzie, Riki Chidley, Mike Flaws, Aaron Burgess, Cam Parkin, Sam Jasper, George Mine, Andy Coburn, Nick Dale, Blair Scoullar.

Miramar Rangers: Dylan Hall, Craig Alderdice, Michael Woodside (captain), Jamie Farrington, Nik Tromp, Allen Chote, Gerard Brown, Tony Wall, Michael Eagar, Dominic Rowe, Graham Mulvey, Tommy Smith, Brooke Tozer, David Batty.

Kick off: 2pm.

No-one expected the southerners to beat the highly-rated Auckland-based side, especially on its own turf.

But what followed was a remarkable 90min of football which earned the Dunedin Technical side a permanent spot on the club's honour board.

The then 19-year-old striker scored the third of the four goals and was named man of the match.

"At the time they [Waitakere City] were one of the best teams in New Zealand," Burgess said.

"We were written off by most of the media.

No-one really expected us to win and we went up there and turned them over.

"To score a goal in the Chatham Cup final, to be named man of the match and to win was, for me, a magical day.

I still look back at that as one of the best days in my career."

Burgess, now 29, hopes for a repeat when Technical plays Miramar Rangers, of Wellington, in the Chatham Cup quarter final at the Caledonian Ground in Dunedin tomorrow.

Miramar has been one of the premier club sides in New Zealand for many years.

It is a tough opponent, but Burgess is quietly pleased.

"Funnily enough, it was Miramar we beat in the quarterfinals in Dunedin that year, as well, so hopefully, that's a bit of an omen."

Burgess, born in Invercargill, joined Dunedin Technical when he moved to the city to attend university.

After he finished his studies Burgess played football professionally in Ireland for six months and Australia for five years.

He returned to his old club this season and has been in good touch, scoring 21 goals so far.

He is also the leading goal-scorer (14) in the Soccersouth premier competition.

"I guess a lot of the boys are looking to me to let them know what it feels like to play in these big games.

When you go into the club there is a big picture of the team that won that trophy that day and I guess they all look at that and say `We want to be on the wall as well'.

"Everyone wants to win the league but there is just something special about the Chatham Cup."

Tech has not had the best build-up for the quarter final.

It was thrashed 5-2 by Caversham last weekend in the premier league.

Perhaps the team was not as focused as it should be, Burgess said.

But rather than dwell on the loss, he believes some good can come from the heavy defeat.

"Sometimes a loss can make you sit back and look at yourselves a bit more.

So I don't think it was a bad thing.

It was not great for our league situation, but for the Chatham Cup, it was probably a good result for us.''

Dunedin Technical player Aaron Burgess prepares for this weekend's Chatham Cup quarterfinal against Miramar Rangers at the Caledonian Ground tomorrow. Photo by Craig Baxter

Nelson Suburbs will be taking on an under-strength Western Suburbs in Sunday's Chatham Cup football quarterfinal at Saxton Field, if you believe the Wellington team's coach.

Wests recently lost five players to New Zealand's Olympic football squad, and coach Matt Calcott said another four were away for trials with overseas teams or had gone to the United States on scholarships. Two others had injury worries.

The Central League team has won the Chatham Cup three times, most recently in 2006. Last year Wests was runner-up after a nail-biting penalty shoot-out against Auckland's Central United in the final.

Nelson Suburbs has never made it to the quarterfinals before - in contrast to the historically strong Wests, which originated as Mental Hospital FC in Porirua.

Calcott said his team had had an inconsistent season, losing two games early, and was sitting seventh in its local competition after winning it last year and being runner-up the year before. "We've had a team that hasn't been consistent week to week."

But he has been preparing for this weekend. "We know how (Nelson Suburbs) play. We've had a couple people watching them as well."

Nelson's Solomon Island striker Kidston Billy is one player who has been taken note of.

Brendan Crichton, co-coach of Mainland Premier League leader Nelson, said Billy and another player who may be on Wests' list, Frazer Maebule, had injury worries.

Billy was a "doubtful starter" and it would be "touch and go" to see if Maebule would play, though the team needed to field its strongest line-up, he said.

"Our team are not proven at that level and a lot of (Wests') players are."

However, either team was capable of winning, he said.

Given that Wests had some knowledge of his team, there could be "a surprise or two" when the players took the field, Crichton said. "We'll make that call on the day."

He said the game could come down to the strength of each side's defence. Mike Bothwell will be back this weekend to add strength and experience to an already capable Nelson backline.

Crichton said that at training on Tuesday night, there was an air of excitement and anticipation in the team. "They see this as being something a little bit special."

The game kicks off at 1pm.

Central 2-3 Glenfield       (Holders out)

East Coast Bays 6-0 Waitakere

Pretty sure both East Coast Bays and Glenfield have never made it this far before

Wests lead nelson 1-0 at half time, courtesy of a Rupert Ryan penalty

Wests 1-1 Nelson, Jake Gleeson producing miracles

Dunedin tech 2-0 Miramar 30 minutes in

cheers

118th minute and nelson score 2-1, wests out

Dunedin still ahead 2-1 with less than 5 to go, looks like both Wellington teams are gonski

Game over Dunedin Tech prevail 2-1, knocking Miramar out and handing them their first defeat of the year, big 4 of Waitakere, Central, Wests and Miramar all gone

Semi Finalists

Nelson Suburbs

Dunedin Technical

Glenfield Rovers

East Coast Bays