By TERRY MADDAFORD
It was never pretty, but Central United's 2-1 win over Waitakere City in the fourth round of the Chatham Cup kept alive their hopes of salvaging something from a disappointing season.
For City, the season proper is done. All they can now look forward to - and without
much enthusiasm - are the national league playoffs.
Central and Caversham, 3-1 winners over Manawatu in Dunedin, are the first two sides through to the cup quarter-finals. The other six will be found this afternoon.
Central began strongly, but the home side had the first real chance when Stephen Mack smacked a shot onto the underside of the crossbar but could only despair as the ball stayed out.
That frustration increased at the other end 12 minutes later when Andrew Moore sliced a harmless cross into his own goal for the 24th-minute opener.
Steven Turner, who worked hard in the City midfield, nearly got a late first-half equaliser after he controlled well, turned and fired just wide.
Midway through the second spell, the visitors went ahead 2-0 when Aaron Silva pounced on a header from a Miro Major cross to hit a volley which Liam Mulrooney blocked, but linesman Santi Vega ruled the ball had crossed the line.
A goal in the 75th minute - finished well by Geoff Gray from a long-range Moore cross - gave City hope, but there were no late heroics and Central were through.
Tauranga City have to back up from the disappointment of Saturday's 5-3 loss to Napier City Rovers in the national league sudden-death major semifinal to play East Coast Bays at Links Ave in today's cup action.
University Mt Wellington are at home to Melville and Bay Olympic meet Mangere United in other northern games.
In the Uncle Toby's women's knockout, Wairarapa were upset 3-1 at home by Marist of Wellington.
* Glenfield goalkeeper Jason Batty has been added to the All Whites squad for this month's matches in China and against Dunfermline in Wellington and Auckland.
