Football: Tauranga City win first round cup match

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Tauranga City won their opening ISPS Handa Chatham Cup fixture with a commanding second half against Manurewa in Auckland on Saturday.

Trailing 1-0 at halftime, Tauranga stormed back in the second half to clinch a 3-1 win and earn their place in the second round of the competition, which includes clubs at all levels from around New Zealand.

Tauranga coach Nic Millichip says winning the cup game is a pleasing result.

"They were quite lively to start with and they went one up and it nullified the first half. We made plenty of chances but couldn't get the icing on the cake. We went in the sheds and said we needed to keep working away and we felt we were playing better football. Nothing looked out of place, it was just about finishing off," Millichip said.

All of Tauranga's scoring came in the final half hour with goals by Lewis Reid, Riley Bidois and Adam Davidson.

"There was a hint of maturity in the fact that we didn't panic and the goals came. It is about getting the higher percentages in the areas we want."

Taupō also progressed to the second round after a 3-0 shutout of Auckland side Uni-Mount Bohemian Celtic. Jordan Lamb scored all three of Taupō's goals.

The draw for the second round of the Chatham Cup is due to be released on Tuesday, and the competition changes pace as the premier teams from around the country, who had a bye in the first round, enter the fray.

Tauranga's focus now shifts back to the Northern League Football first division, which will play round nine fixtures this Saturday and Tauranga, who sit in sixth place, host third-placed Bucklands Beach at Links Avenue Reserve.

"It is back to training for us," Millichip says.

"The Chatham Cup is a bonus, it is a wonderful competition, buy the league is our focus."

Tauranga have three wins, a draw and three losses this season and Millichip wants to see the team continue to improve.

"We are pleased with the style of football and what we are putting out there and it suits the players we have. We would expect to be pretty competitive [against Bucklands] and we focus on getting points at home."

McDonalds Ngongotahā Men's NRFL first team, who did not play in the Chatham Cup, also resume their season in the second division as they host second-placed Claudelands.

Ngongotahā have had a tough start to the season, without a win from seven games.

Northern League Football draw for Saturday May 18

First division:
Tauranga City v Bucklands Beach
Bay Olympic v Waiheke United
Hibiscus Coast v Takapuna
Mt Albert-Ponsonby v Fencibles United
Three Kings United v Ellerslie
Waitemata v Forrest Hill-Milford United

Second division:
Ngongotahā v Claudelands Rovers
Albany United v Franklin United
Manurewa v Metro
Northland v Cambridge
Onehunga-Mangere United v Oratia United
Uni-Mt. Bohemian Celtic v Greenhithe Catimba