Karori’s sensational Football victory

By Grant Stephen

Waterside Karori’s sensational 3-0 victory over Napier City Rovers in the Chatham Cup on 9 July was the talk of the town.

Wharfies captain, Harry Fautley, was quietly confident in his radio interview on Saturday morning and that confidence was certainly well founded.

Goal scorers from the league match the week before put in another decent shift and Tomas Alvarado proved his value to the team yet again.

In soggy conditions at Park Island in Napier Tomas put Waterside ahead just two minutes before the tea break.

Stefan Cordwell made it two at the 65th minute mark and Tomas put the icing on the cake to make it 3-0 with 12 minutes still to go until the final whistle.

It was an emphatic win and if Rovers had a grief counsellor on their staff, it would be a busy week ahead for them.

Waterside Karori now progresses through to the quarter finals and the national phase of the competition.

Despite not having any bearing on the Central League, confidence and self-belief will be at an all time high for Karori as they strive to reach the top four sides locally to progress to the national summer league.

The only other remaining team in region to contend for the Chatham Cup is league leader Wellington Olympic.

They cantered through to an easy 5-0 victory at Petone.

In the quarter finals Karori and Olympic will now face each other or Melville United, Eastern Suburbs, Hamilton Wanderers, Christchurch United, Western Springs or Roslyn Wakiri.

In the women’s Kate Sheppard Cup, it is semi final time for Wellington United.

They eased past Petone 2-1 and will now face either Eastern Suburbs, Coastal Spirit or Western Springs.

Top level men’s and women’s football took another scheduled break last weekend for further rounds in the Chatham Cup and Kate Sheppard Cup national knock out competitions.