Football: Chatham Cup offers Ngongotaha opportunity to experiment

Ngongotaha AFC coach Shane Davis with captain Eamon O'Donoghue (right) whose brother is returning from the US to play a short stint for the club.

Ngongotaha AFC coach Shane Davis is hoping tomorrow's Chatham Cup game against Bucklands Beach AFC will help him find a way to fix his side's defensive woes.

In last weekend's Northern League Division 2 game against Fencibles Utd, the Villagers let a 3-0 half time lead slip to lose 4-3.

Now Davis sees tomorrow's game as a chance to find a solution to the problem.

"It's a bonus for us as I can try different players out and try and plug the gaps. We're all right up front, we're scoring goals, but our defending half, we've got to work at that.
This is a [chance] to use different players and see if they can actually play in these positions."

He said it was something he couldn't afford to do in Northern League games.

Ngongotaha will be boosted, at least temporarily, by the return of Andy O'Donoghue who left the club to take up a football scholarship in the US in 2013. He is back in New Zealand for a month.

"That's pretty handy because I've [coached] him since he was a kid, all the way through until he got a scholarship, so I know what he's all about and it's a bit of a bonus for our
back line."

A versatile player, O'Donoghue can play centre back and midfield.

It's the second time in three years the Villagers have been drawn against Bucklands Beach in the Chatham Cup, who play in the Auckland Football Federation second division.

In 2015, Ngongotaha knocked the Auckland side out of the competition with a 5-2 away win.

■In the WaiBOP Premiership tomorrow Rotorua Utd have a home game against Te Awamutu with a 2.45pm kick off. Rotorua are currently fourth in the premiership after a 4-2 win at Papamoa last weekend, while Te Awamutu, who had a 3-1 win over Tauranga Boys' College last Saturday, are in sixth.