Soccer: Central now into cup final

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Central United's stirring late-season run continued with a 1-0 win over Chatham Cup-holders Dunedin Technical in an absorbing semifinal at Kiwitea St in Auckland yesterday.

The Aucklanders will meet Napier City Rovers in the September 9 final at North Harbour Stadium following Napier's 4-1 home win over Miramar Rangers.

Central's victory poses an early, but not unwelcome, problem for co-coaches Paul Posa and Ricki Herbert, who got through yesterday's game without four players who were on All Whites duty in Malaysia.

"Yes, there are a few unknowns to be taken into account before we settle on a team for the final," Posa admitted after yesterday's win. "But they are not bad problems are they?

"I thought we were justly rewarded for some hard work out there. We created a lot of chances and once we went ahead I was always confident we could hold on.

"When they beat us 5-1 here in the league, they scored three goals from balls we let bounce in the box. We were determined that would not happen again. It didn't."

Central face a three-week break before the Bluebird Chatham Cup final, but Posa is not too concerned as he has players nursing niggling injuries.

The game was a typically dour, chess-like cup tie from the outset with the visitors enjoying the best of the early exchanges.

The winner came in the 63rd minute when Stephen Mack, who had botched one earlier attempt, scored after Fred de Jong had played the ball to Jason New, who in turn sent it on to Mack.

It was his seventh goal of the season.

From the restart, the ever-impressive Aaron Burgess was denied when Matthew Vuksich again got back to block.

That seemed to drain any fight from the visitors, who were given few opportunities in the remaining 27 minutes.

"I was very pleased with the effort of my very young side," said Dunedin coach Roger Brooks after seeing his team's hopes of a third successive final disappear. "But on points I feel Central just edged us out."

In Napier, the home side went ahead in the 20th minute through Chris McIvor. Martin Akers stretched their lead to 2-0 after 27 minutes before Wiremu Patrick got one back for Miramar just before halftime.

Second-half goals to Jimmy Cudd and Akers sealed Napier's expected victory to keep their national club championship-Chatham Cup double hopes alive.

In the Uncle Toby's women's knockout cup final, Lynn Avon, 1-0 winners over cup-holders Three Kings, will play Wairarapa, who beat New Brighton 5-1.

In next weekend's national club championship promotion series, Tauranga City, Havelock North and Caversham will play off in Palmerston North to find the team to challenge Metro for a place in next season's competition.