Routine Chatham Cup win for Villagers

DOUBLE: Ngongotaha's Alexi Pinto, right, was on target twice as the Villagers beat Buckland's Beach AFC to progress to the second round of this season's Chatham Cup. PHOTO/FILE

A routine win for Ngongotaha has seen them in the hat for the draw for the second round of this season's Chatham Cup competition.

Winning both halves 2-1, the 4-2 away victory was comfortable as the Northern League Division 2 side beat Auckland Football Federation Division 2 team Buckland's Beach AFC on Saturday

Villagers coach Shane Davis said his side dominated much of the game with the two goals conceded the result of being caught out by fast breaks from the hosts.

Davis was using the game to try different combinations, bringing in two players from the reserves, trying two others in different roles to their usual positions and also introducing Andy O'Donoghue, back home on a break from studying in the US, into the defence.

"He did really well," said Davis of his temporarily available player.

The Villagers goals went to Alexi Pinto (2), Alan Ferguson and Harlem Simiona.
Bucklands Beach goals were both scored by Isaac Harraway.

"There were about 10 minutes to go when Harlem put it in the back of the net and it was pretty much over then," said Davis.

While reasonably happy with the changes he made for the cup game, Davis said he is unlikely to persist with them in the Northern League games.

As for the second round Davis said he would like to be drawn against a Bay side.
Davis had a chance to see one of his side's Northern League Division 2 rivals, Waiheke Island, who played Tauranga City in the Chatham Cup at Tauranga's Links Avenue yesterday.

In the WaiBOP premiership, Rotorua United's game against Te Awamutu was postponed.