Some big guns are guaranteed to take early exits from this year’s Chatham Cup with a set of round two fixtures that pit top regional sides against each other.
Five fixtures stand out for their ability to see high-performing clubs excluded from next week’s third-round draw:
Auckland United v Auckland City
Keith Hay Park, Mt Roskill, 3pm
This Monday match ensures one of the Northern League’s top four sides will exit the competition in their first outing (as they both got first-round byes).
Both have Northern League games this weekend so fitness might play a big part in this cup tie, especially if it goes to extra time.
And, don’t forget, Auckland City are still recovering from their energy-sapping OFC Champions League campaign, in which their last two games went to extra time.
This is United’s big chance to tip over the Chatham Cup holders.
Manurewa v Eastern Suburbs
Manurewa War Memorial Park, Manurewa, 2pm
Currently the top two teams in the Northern League, this shapes as the tie of the round for northern fans, with both clubs having proud records in the Chatham Cup.
League form will be put aside for this match, though season stats indicate that Suburbs’ strength is its defence (only seven goals conceded this season) while Manurewa boast the equal-best goalscoring record in the Northern League (28 goals in 10 outings).
It’s a football cliche but it’s a shame one of these won’t be in the draw for the next round.
Bay Olympic v West Coast Rangers
Olympic Park, New Lynn, 2pm
Also on Monday, these two Northern League rivals face off at Olympic Park.
Rangers, promoted to the Northern League this year, are going the better of the two clubs, with 13 points from their 11 league matches.
Though only one point below them on the league table, Olympic have only six points to show from their season so far and a cup win might be just the fillip they need to reboot their season.
Miramar Rangers v Stop Out
David Farrington Park, Miramar, 2pm
Of the ties that pit Central League sides against each other, this is the game that stands out.
Former cup winners Rangers have been underperforming this year, compared to last season, and they have lost holder’s rights to the O’Brien Shield.
A good cup run would be just the ticket for Rangers who won the Chatham Cup in 1966, 1992, 2004 and 2010 and were runners-up in 1981.
Stop Out have not won a senior men’s title since they claimed the Central Premier League crown in 2014.
They won the Chatham Cup in 1956, their jubilee year, beating Shamrock 4-1.
If they get past Rangers, maybe this is the year Stop Out fans can start to dream of more glory …
Coastal Spirit v Cashmere Technical
Linfield Park, Bromley, 2pm
Saturday’s Southern League match-up between Spirit and Cashmere Tech looks like being a cracker.
Tech are second in the league, with Spirit in fourth place.
With three Chatham Cup titles in the past decade, no club has a better cup record than Tech over the past decade.
Spirit should go into the tie with confidence after a 1-0 win last weekend against Dunedin City Royals, with both sides chasing a spot in the Men’s National League.
And Spirit were no pushover for Tech in April when the sides drew 1-1 in the league.
… and one more thing
Monday’s fixtures include an intriguing tie between East Coast Bays and Western Springs.
Bays are leading the title race in the Lotto NRFL Men’s Championship and are contenders for promotion to next year’s Northern League.
Both teams promoted to this year’s Northern League are more than holding their own, indicating that the performance gap between the two regional competitions is not that wide.
If Bays can get a result against Northern League side Springs, it’ll add more evidence to that theory.
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Fixtures
Game to be played on Friday June 2, 2023
Ferrymead Bays v FC Twenty 11
Ferrymead Park, Christchurch, 7.15pm
Motueka v Nelson Suburbs
Memorial Park, Motueka, 7pm
Games to be played on Saturday June 3, 2023
Chatham Cup
Onehunga Mangere United v Te Awamutu
Mangere Domain, Mangere, 2pm
Northern Rovers v Fencibles United
McFetridge Park, Glenfield 2pm
South Auckland Rangers v North Shore United
Rongomai Park, Ormiston, 2pm
Wellington Olympic v Wainuiomata
Wakefield Park, Island Bay, 2pm
Petone v Whanganui Athletic
Petone Memorial Park, Petone, 2.30pm
Miramar Rangers v Stop Out
David Farrington Park, Miramar, 2pm
Napier Marist v North Wellington
Park Island, Napier, 2pm
New Plymouth Boys’ High School v FC Western
Webster Field, New Plymouth, 2pm
Tawa v Waterside Karori
Redwood Park, Tawa, 2pm
Coastal Spirit v Cashmere Technical
Linfield Park, Bromley, 2pm
Wanaka v Dunedin City Royals
Recreation Centre, Wanaka, 2pm
Mosgiel v Otago University
Memorial Park, Dunedin, 2pm
Queens Park v Green Island
Surrey Park, Invercargill, 2pm
Thistle v Roslyn Wakari
ILT Football Turf, Invercargill, 2pm
Game to be played on Sunday June 4, 2023
Napier City Rovers v Island Bay United
Bluewater Stadium, Napier, 2pm
Games to be played on Monday June 5, 2023
Auckland United v Auckland City
Keith Hay Park, Mt Roskill, 3pm
Otumoetai v Melville United
Fergusson Park, Otumoetai, 2pm
Ngaruawahia United v Albany United
Centennial Park, Ngaruawahia, 12.30pm
Birkenhead United v Waiheke United
McFetridge Park, Glenfield, 2pm
Takapuna v Waikato Unicol
Taharoto Park, Takapuna, 2pm
Napier Marist v North Wellington
Park Island, Napier, 2pm
Bay Olympic v West Coast Rangers
Olympic Park, New Lynn, 2pm
Franklin United v Waitemata
Drury Sports Complex, Drury, 2pm
Manurewa v Eastern Suburbs
Manurewa War Memorial Park, Manurewa, 2pm
Tauranga City v Manukau United
Links Ave, Mt Maunganui, 2pm
Claudelands Rovers v Bucklands Beach
Galloway Park, Hamilton, 1pm
Metro v West Auckland
Phyllis St, Mt Albert, 2pm
East Coast Bays v Western Springs
Bay City Park, Browns Bay, 2pm
Hamilton Wanderers v Ellerslie
Porritt Stadium, Hamilton, 2pm
Kapiti Coast United v Western Suburbs
Weka Park, Paraparaumu, 2pm
Universities of Canterbury v Christchurch United
United Sports Centre, Christchurch, 2pm
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