Soccer: Miramar win Chatham Cup

Michael Woodside of Miramar (R) celebrates with goal scorer Michael White of Miramar. Photo / Getty Images

A man-of-the-match goalkeeping display from Phil Imray, including a 77th minute penalty save, helped seal a 3-1 win for Miramar Rangers over Bay Olympic in today's Chatham Cup final at North Harbour Stadium.

Imray earned MVP honours with a string of saves to protect Wellington team Miramar's lead at 2-0 and 2-1, making a crucial penalty stop shortly after Michael White had extended the lead to 3-1 with his 75th minute solo effort.

Tim Schaeffers felled Joe Edwards in the box to gift Bay Olympic a potential lifeline but Imray was more than equal to Nathan Strom's firmly struck penalty, diving to his right and swatting the ball clear with his left hand to deflate a resurgent Auckland side and clinch Miramar's fourth Chatham Cup title.

"I know Strommy, he's a good lad and I thought he was going to smash it. But I picked the right way and got lucky.

"At 2-0 up we were quite comfortable but they nicked a goal and then second half they came at us.

"I thought they were on top for the first 25 minutes, but the third goal killed them off and the lads held on at the end."

Earlier, Schaeffers had given the Wellingtonians a 12th minute lead when he was first to react to a sweetly struck Darren Cheriton free kick that Bay Olympic goalkeeper Danny Robinson couldn't hold.

Schaeffers' defensive partner Campbell Parkin - who tasted Cup final defeat with Dunedin Technical two years ago - extended Rangers' advantage eight minutes later with a fierce close range finish after Dominic Rowe headed a Garry McDermott corner into his path.

Olympic pulled a goal back in the 34th minute via the head of Strom and carried the momentum into halftime and for 20 minutes after the break, but White streaked past Olympic left back Craig Wylie and made no mistake one on one with Robinson to make it 3-1 with 15 minutes to go.

Bay Olympic coach Shane Knowles was left lamenting missed chances.

"The goalkeeper got the Jack Batty trophy and pulled off some great saves, and missing a penalty didn't help either," Knowles said.

"We had plenty of chances but just didn't take them.

"We thought at half time Miramar were struggling a bit and we could get round the back of them but that third goal killed it."

Miramar Rangers 3 (Tim Schaeffers, Campbell Parkin, Michael White) Bay Olympic 1 (Nathan Strom). Halftime: 2-1.

- NZPA