But on Saturday the Bohs were 2-0 up at halftime, thanks to goals by Gary Cunningham (from the penalty spot) in the 20th minute and a close-range Matt Sowerby finish from a Trent Donnelly cross just before the break.
Simon Mellor reduced the leeway from the penalty spot 10 minutes into the second spell. Fifteen minutes later, striker Jason Lexmond got on the end of a through ball and lobbed it over the goalkeeper to equalise.
The Bohs went a man down in the 85th minute when Trent Donnelly was sent off, but they went ahead again five minutes into extra time when Hayden Donnelly’s shot took a deflection that wrongfooted the defence.
Grant Dickson equalised for Riverina in a goalmouth scramble five minutes into the second half of extra time.
The Bohs missed two of their attempts in the shoot-out and the outcome was decided without the need for fifth penalties to be taken.
On Childers Road Reserve No.1, Riverina had to use the long ball more than usual, to save their legs.
Goalkeeper Ryan O’Neill was outstanding, and the length of his clearing kicks caused problems for Bohemians. Glenn Higgins and Jon Spawforth were solid in defence, Dickson was steady in central midfield, Tunis Harrison and Pete Te Kiri did the legwork on the flanks, and Lexmond was an effective target man up front.
Bohemians were well served by keeper Eru Rawiri, player of the day Gary McKenzie, Joe Gloistein and Noel Gray in defence, Cunningham up front and at leftback, and Sowerby and Hayden Donnelly in central midfield.
In the Poverty Bay Cup final, Howard did the finishing for his hat-trick but he could thank midfielder Marek Schirnack for doing much of the build-up.
Schirnack provided the left-wing cross for Howard’s first goal, a header, 10 minutes into the game.
Howard scored his and Wairoa’s second goal five minutes into the second half, and they looked to be comfortable.
Ten minutes later, Shockers had a chance to close it up when one of their players got past the keeper and seemed certain to score.
But he delayed a fraction too long and defender Mike Hardie got back to make a spoiling challenge.
That seemed to start a surge of Wairoa activity, and within 10 minutes Schirnack and Howard had scored to make it 4-0.
Shockers were far from done, though. Justin Kohere and Damien Pilitati — Shockers’ best performers all season — scored a goal each to give their side a sniff of glory with 10 minutes to go. Now it was Wairoa’s turn to withstand pressure, and keeper Craig Ward and defenders Mike Hardie, Jason Smith, Chris McGregor and Shannon Crane all stood up well to the scrutiny.
Shockers manager Andrew Hammond said Wairoa were younger and faster, and cleaned up down the middle.
“They deserved to win, but we tried to peg them back right till the end,” he said.
In the only league game of the day, Heavy Equipment United beat Gisborne Glass Eastgate 3-0.
United fell 12 goals short of the margin they needed to win the Eastern League first division but it was not for want of trying.
Eastgate’s Leighton Evans said James Craig proved an able replacement for injured goalkeeper Cruz Thompson, and Daniel Burn was outstanding in a good defensive effort as United “threw everything at them”.
