Old Blues' turn as Cup giant killers

It's early days yet, but Tauranga teams were celebrating a dream start to the Chatham Cup football season after the qualifying round yesterday.
Leading the charge was fledgling club Old Blues, who knocked over Kevin Fallon's perennial giant killers Mt Albert Grammar 2-1 in pouring rain at Waipuna Park in Welcome Bay.
Both Old Blues' goals were scored by 20-year-old Andy Cooper, with the second a stunning 40m strike early in the second half to put his side 2-0 ahead.
Cooper's former Tauranga Boys' College team also made it through, with teenager Andrew Carter scoring all three goals in a 3-0 away win over Pukekohe, while Otumoetai grabbed a dramatic 3-2 victory over Zamantix Rovers in Auckland.
It's put all three teams into the main draw, where they'll be joined by another 51 teams in the first round to be played on May 14, while a further 22, including current holders Miramar Rangers, join the fray in the second round.
Yesterday's win created a double-shot of history for Old Blues, the first time they've won a Chatham Cup match since the club was formed seven years ago.
It was also the first time they've hosted a Chatham Cup match - the previous home draw they received had to be deferred to Te Puke as Waipuna Park was in the final throes of hosting club cricket.
It was also the first time since 2000 that Mt Albert Grammar have lost their first game of the 88-year-old knockout competition.
"We actually went up to Mt Albert Grammar and lost two years ago but this is a totally different team - we've got a couple of new faces but the coaching and preparation of the team has drastically improved as well," Old Blues president Steve Worsley said.
"The win yesterday wasn't really a surprise to us, given how we've been playing this season.
"Including pre-season, we've now gone nine games unbeaten after being promoted to Federation 1 this year."
The Andy Legget-coached Old Blues currently lead the division with Claudelands, having won their first four games.
Other heroes yesterday were 45-year-old defender Paul Shaw and midfield rock Neil McLaughlin.
Tauranga Boys' weren't the only schoolboy side to win through, meanwhile, with North Shore's Westlake Boys' also picking up a 3-1 away win at Oratia.
Wellington United were the biggest winners on the day thumping lowly Eastbourne 15-0, Bohemian Celtic ran out 3-0 winners over Internationale in a clash of two Auckland Sunday League clubs, while Kerikeri will enjoy their trip back to Northland after defeating Western Springs 3-1 in Auckland.
The ASB Chatham Cup played along regional lines in early rounds, although this season the draw becomes national one round earlier than previous seasons with the final 16 teams entering an open fourth-round draw.