Chatham Cup holders Napier City Rovers off to winning start

Napier City Rovers won 3-0 against FC Western on Saturday in New Plymouth. Photo / NZME

Chatham Cup holders Napier City Rovers were victorious in their first match in the competition since lifting the trophy in 2019.

Forward Josh Stevenson bagged a hat-trick in a 3-0 win against FC Western on Saturday as Rovers eased through the first-round proper of the cup.

After a lacklustre scoreless0 draw against Waterside Karori last weekend, Bill Robertson's side made the 800km round-trip to New Plymouth.

Rovers stalwart Stevenson put the visitors ahead in the 37th minute with a strike from the edge of the box, before scoring his second shortly after the break.

The striker wrapped up the game and his hat-trick late in the cup tie after good build up play from teenager Luca Barclay.

NCR striker Josh Stevenson against Wellington Olympic in 2020. Photo / NZME

Stevenson, who scored his first ever competitive hat-trick for the club, said Rovers young core provided great service for the forwards.

"Everything we do, we do to win," he said. "It was great for the club to put out a professional performance.

"The Chatham Cup is extremely important to this club. We have a great history and we are obviously the current holders."

Napier City Rovers won the trophy for a fifth time with a 3-2 victory over Hamilton's Melville United at the QBE Stadium, Auckland, in September 2019.

The 2020 competition was scrapped due to Covid-19.

Stevenson also highlighted the importance of youth in the side's victory.

"We had six teenagers playing and two 20-year-olds," he said. "So it's great to see the youth progression into the first team."

Havelock North Wanderers, the only other Hawke's Bay side participating in this year's cup competition, also went through to the second round after a 3-2 win against Palmerston North Marist at Guthrie Park.