HAPPY PLACE: Chris Greatholder (right) is working his way back into a playing role. Here he celebrates a goal with Angus Kilkolly (middle) and Ryan Tinsley.
It is the beautiful game but they'll do it ugly tomorrow if they have to, because someone has to make the quarterfinals.
It's back to Chatham Cup (the national knockout) action this weekend as Bluewater Napier City Rovers play Tawa FC in Wellington in round four.
The Blues will run on to Redwood Park aware they have played some exhilarating cup matches this winter into extra time and penalty kicks.
"We're looking forward to the national stage of the competition but we're also mindful our league position goes out of the window," says player/coach Bill Robertson whose troops are second on the Lotto Central League table while Tawa are perched on the seventh rung of the 10-team ladder on nine points with three wins from 10 games.
The Danny Wilson-captained Rovers, who have played 13 games this season and have won 10 but are also unbeaten at Bluewater Stadium, Park Island, beat the Wellingtonians 3-1 in the first round of the league on April 27.
"Tawa are having their club day so they'll have a few fans down," Robertson says.
Veteran midfielder Chris Greatholder, with the Kinetic Electrical Hawke's Bay United coaching debacle behind him, is available to travel tomorrow.
"I wasn't sure what was happening with summer [ASB Pacific Premiership] so I was working hard as I could," Greatholder reveals.
With wife Kate working on Saturdays, the bank manager says he had to as well so it was a problem playing at times with three children.
"Bill knew I was going to be away for four to five games so, hopefully, I'll be fitter for the second round of the league."
Fellow midfielders Stu Wilson (back from injury) and English import Ryan Tinsley (having served a match suspension for a red card) bolster the squad from the last round.
Greatholder, who turned 36 last week but enjoyed singing the birthday song with teammates after training on Tuesday night, has never tasted cup victory.
"What a great competition - but I've not played or trained for it in four years.
"It's my first time back as a player and that's special," says Greatholder, enjoying the singing and chanting from the Park Island faithful that no doubt fuels the boys.
"It's a magical competition so we want to go as far as we can to book a quarter-final berth."
It can be tricky asking the ageing body too many questions but enjoyment certainly helps create a clearer pathway to a return.
This time last week a water-logged Redwood Park was unplayable but the Rovers haven't heard of a change in venue.
The Blues' defence has come under fair scrutiny even though they have brought immense joy to fans with nail-biting victories.
"That was a funny game but we're due for a big performance," Greatholder says of the 5-4 win over Wellington Olympic in extra time on June 2.
Playing higher up the field, the Rovers have conceded some sloppy goals but they have reached a stage of consciousness where they know how to clinch games.
Overall he reckons there's been some healthy banter that has added value to the collective's cause.
A defensive midfielder, Greatholder has had opportunities to shoot at goal but "not scored as much as I would have liked to".
Playing box to box on both ends is on the agenda.
"I want to get excited a bit and look at the what-ifs, do the right things and keep dreaming," he says.
The Rovers will travel without set-piece specialist Matt Hastings who is about to become a father. Andrija Ilic comes in.
In the other cup game in the region, Island Bay Coolmoves host Central League leaders Miramar Rangers at 6pm today at Wakefield Park No 1.
The Rovers' scheduled league clash against Rangers in Napier tomorrow has been deferred.
MATCH DETAILS
WHO: Tawa FC v Napier City Rovers.
WHEN: Tomorrow, 2pm kickoff.
WHERE: Redwood Park, Wellington.
REFEREE: Jim Murphy.
AR1/AR2: David Beattie/Bryan Botha.
TAWA FC: Lance Ramaekers (GK), 2 Lewis McKay, 3 Ben Edusei, 4 Doyle D'Mello, 5 Jamie Nicholas, 6 Andrew Wild, 7 Richard Bott, 8 Mike McCutcheon, 9 Todd Painter, 10 Karl Romijn, 11 Mike Ramaekers, 12 Jamie Sharp, 13 Abe McPherson, 14 Sam Jorgensen, 15 Aaron Magill, 16 Russel Kyne, 17 Stev Romijn (c), 18 William Gibbons, 20 Daniel Wood.
Coach: Daniel Wood.
NAPIER CITY ROVERS: 1 Jonty Underhill (GK), 2 Josh Anstis, 3 Daniel Ball, 4 Bayley Chadderton, 5 Bill Robertson, 6 Miles John, 9 Sam Messam, 10 Andrija Ilic, 11 Andy Bevin, 12 Oli Chapman, 14 Josh Stevenson, 15 Ryan Tinsley, 16 Danny Wilson (c), 18 Angus Kilkolly, 19 Phil Dol, 20 Chris Greatholder, Kyle Baxter (RGK).
Coach/player: Bill Robertson.
Manager: Malcolm Wilson.