FOR ME, this weekend is the high-

light of the Kiwi sporting calendar.

Its the rst round of the Chatham
Cup a competition unlike any oth-
er.
Where else can you see so many
dierent clubs, representing com-
munities from Kerikeri to Inver-
cargill, all with their own goals to
achieve and stories to tell, compet-
ing for the same prize?
Tomorrow Ill be at Spreydon
Domain for Christchurch United
v Universities, a xture that brings
together two teams that spent last
season battling for promotion and
gives them a chance to rehash their
old grudges.
Ten on Sunday, Ill be down at
Barnett Park, along with most of the
Christchurch footballing public, to
watch Ferrymead Bays try and top-
ple defending champions Cashmere
Technical.
Im expecting good football, pas-
sionate crowds, and of course, a
sneaky sausage sizzle or two.
It will be my second taste of cup
fever this week.
On Tuesday night, I watched Tech
play Uni in the English Cup.
Tere was something about a
game under lights in late autumn
that appealed to the romantic in me.
It was a classic, and cliched,
match-up.
Tech were Goliath eight wins
from eight in the league, 30 goals for
and none against while Uni were
David a single win since promo-
tion, way back in round one.
David well and truly bossed Goli-
ath, and it was great to see.
Te students should have been
well ahead at half-time, and they
eventually opened the scoring at the
start of the second half.
It was the rst goal Tech had con-
ceded all season, and there was a pal-
pable sense of shock in the stands.
Spurred on by their strike, Unis
dominance only grew, and it looked
like an upset was on the cards.
Ten they conceded a sof goal,
and just like that, their condence
was gone.
Tey soon conceded another, and
never really got back in the game.
For an hour, they lived a dream.
It could have been them who drew
rst blood from the almighty Tech.
What a story it would have been
to tell, and what an inspiration it
could have served as.
Over the course of a league sea-
son, luck averages out, while skill
shows itself again and again.
Its a hard place for an underdog.
Tats the magic of the cup.
All that matters is the 90 minutes
plus extra time, plus penalties, if
needed on the day.
Its enough to send any team o to
bed tonight with dreams of making
a cup run.
When they wake tomorrow, the
day will be theirs to seize.
And it will make great viewing for
punters like me.
!"#$!% '()*+, unlverslues forward Pamlsh loy wlll be looklng for
a wln over hls slde's old foes ChrlsLchurch unlLed Lomorrow ln Lhe rsL
round of Lhe ChaLham Cup. PC1C: n!"#$" &CCuLLCCP
Andr e w Voer man
+(-% ./#" 0(.
uo you have a sporung hlghllghL
you look forward Lo each year?
LeL me know by emalllng me aL
andrew.voerman[chrlsLchurch'
sLar.co.nz or messaglng me on
1wluer [andrewvoerman
Cup dreams for footbaII teams
-
morrows ASB Womens Knockout
Cup game against defending champi-
ons Coastal Spirit as underdogs, but
Coach Dan Clarkson said his side
would go in condent of getting the
Te Coastal side they will nd at
Cuthberts Green will be missing
oore will be
seeing out a mandatory stand-down
period afer playing for the Football
Ferns in Japan last night, while inter-
national midelder Annalie Longo is
out injured, and youth international
errin is in Australia.
Coach Alana Gunn said they knew
with the quality of their squad they
would face these kind of problems
and were well-prepared to cover the
Universities have some new faces
in their squad this season, the most
notable being striker Aimee Phillips.
Phillips was top goalscorer in the
league last year, and Gunn said any
Phillips is denitely someone you
Te winner of the game will be the
-
without a fght