Ngongotaha tipped out of cup race

Ngongotaha AFC's skipper Dave Haua (left) battles hard in his team's defeat to Metro FC in the Chatham Cup on Saturday. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

CAPTAIN Dave Haua's focus has now turned to winning the league after Ngongotaha AFC crashed out of the Chatham Cup on Saturday.

Ngongotaha were beaten 4-1 by NRFL Division 1 side Metro FC in Auckland with Ngongotaha's lack of experience and inferior fitness proving decisive factors.

Goals from Metro's David Featonby and Craig Squires in the first half with a reply from The Villagers' Josh O'Sullivan saw the sides go into halftime at 2-1. A goal apiece from Tatenda Ngadela and Jonathan Lewis in the second half sealed a comfortable win.

"Metro were a lot fitter and more experienced which really showed in the game," said Haua.

"They kept a lot of possession and played ball to feet which made it hard to get any sort of grip in the match. "I don't want to have that horrible losing feeling again this season so we must turn this loss into a positive and now look at the league.

'I think it's good to experience because none of us want to feel like this again. We will now try to remain unbeaten in the league and take this memory with us."

In the first round of the competition Metro, who are two divisions above Ngongotaha, took the early lead with a rasping 20m drive into the top corner from captain Featonby after four minutes. They doubled their lead 30 minutes later when Squires rose the highest from a Metro corner to powerfully head into the net past a flailing goalkeeper.

And they should have scored another from the penalty spot five minutes before halftime
when Rizal Ganies was brought down in the box, but he was denied by the goalpost.

The Villagers took heart and just before the break in-form striker O'Sullivan found room in the box and stabbed home with a clinical finish. Ngongotaha could have levelled the game-a minute later when right back Jake Davis was through on goal but he pulled his shot wide.

Metro took control of the match in the second half and striker Ngadela put his side out of reach, firing in from a dangerous cross in the 65th minute.

The hosts sealed their victory with another header from a corner-this time Lewis getting ahead of his marker to guide the ball into the roof of the net with 10 minutes to go.

Metro's director of football, Antony Owens, praised Ngongotaha's battling performance and hopes his side can now push on to reach the finals.

"This is an important competition and in previous years we haven't gone as far as we should. It was way back in 1998 when we reached the semis so it would be great to reach that or further," he said.

"On paper it looked very much like a David and Goliath contest but it wasn't like that on the day. "They have decent players and they had a very strong side. They could compete in our league for sure. "We had the advantage of the home ground and I'm glad we improved on our recent bad results in the league. We must now push on from here."

Ngongotaha will look to bounce back next weekend when they play in the WaiBOP Premiership, where they remain unbeaten.

? To view all the first round Chatham Cup results visit www.nzfootball.co.nz