CHATHAM CUP: Bay sides score trifecta

HAMISH BIDWELL
So far so good for the Hawke's Bay entrants in this year's Chatham Cup.
First there was Taradale's 3-1 win over Gisborne Thistle and Cru Bar Maycenvale United's 5-0 thrashing of Valeron Wanderers on Saturday, before Bluewater Napier City Rovers completed the weekend treble by beating Palmerston North Marist 4-0 yesterday.
Let's start with Taradale. It wouldn't be uncharitable to suggest their first half against Thistle was mediocre. The Taradale Park pitch isn't particularly conducive to attractive football, but even so.
Thistle took a 1-0 lead after just two minutes and that's how it remained at halftime. But a rev-up from coach Jamie Hall and a superb 56th-minute volley from Rob Bower turned the match on it's head and from that point Taradale were always going to win.
Nick Demaine made it 2-1 two minutes later, before Bower netted direct from a corner in the 72nd minute to complete the scoring. The Taradale name that hasn't appeared yet is that of Craig Tichborn (pictured right) and it needs to, because he was colossal. He was the catalyst for each of the goals and other chances his teammates failed to latch on to.
"Tich was great and I felt we deserved that in the end. But in the first half we were appalling and I told them that at halftime," Hall said.
"One of the things that delighted me was seeing the substitutions we made pay off. It was a luxury to be able to introduce Warren Gilbertson, Quentin Hunt, who was our player of the year last year, and Mark Foote, who's played 87 first-team games for Taradale and Central League and Federation level. "Each of them is still some way off full fitness, but we'll only improve as they do."
While all that was going on, Maycenvale were teaching the young Valeron Wanderers side a bit of a lesson down at Palmerston North's Skoglund Park. A lack of clinical finishing in the first half meant they only lead 1-0 at the break, but they soon remedied that in the second as they cantered to their 5-0 win.
There was a brace of goals for Nick Lucas and one each for his son Dakota, Brendon Adema and Paul Halford.
"They came at us quite hard and tried to play a bit of football," said Maycenvale coach Grant Hastings.
"We probably hit the post three times in that first half and missed as many other good quality chances. I was confident we'd rectify that in the second half and we did." The match also allowed Hastings to mix and match a bit, with the likes of Anthony Floyd and Dion Adams, who had minor knee surgery last week, rested and defender Sam Stove pushed forward into midfield.
And finally, it was the Graham Fyfe show once again at Bluewater Stadium in Rovers' 4-0 win over 2005 finalists Palmerston North Marist. The Scotsman is breathtaking to watch at times, playing the game on a different plane to anyone around him. His first thought is to play or receive the simple ball, which tends to be a task so basic it eludes most people.
But it's the moments when something more elaborate is possible that sets him apart. He not only conceives of possibilities that others don't see, but then has the exquisite touch off either foot to deliver difficult balls to an area he's almost willed his teammates to arrive in. He's a magician from dead ball situations, too, and his goal, and the team's fourth, from a 51st minute free-kick was worthy of any stage. Earlier, there were goals to David Gearey, in the 15th and 25th minutes, plus another for Chris McIvor.