12 JUL 1998 , Edition A, Page 12.
By: YOUNG Geoff
Waikato Support
NGARUAWAHIA United will have the support of all Waikato when it takes on Northern Premier rivals Bay Olympic in the quarterfinals of the Chatham Cup next week.
Northern League Division One Ngaruawahia has had its best cup run, beating Three Kings United, the combined side whose constituent clubs Eden and Mt Roskill are former winners and Eastern Suburbs, another illustrious name from soccer’s past.
The small-town upstarts were expected to get their come-uppance in the last round when they were drawn against Waikato’s premier winter side, Hamilton Wanderers. But the surprise of the round saw Ngaruawahia take the match 1-0.
“It was a mistake by their goalkeeper and a defender, who were both former Ngaruawahia players, that allowed us to score our goal,” club secretary Kirsten Henckel said.
The club and the town are looking forward to the Centennial Park clash against Bay Olympic, the newly amalgamated club combining Green Bay-Titirangi and another former cup winner, Blockhouse Bay.
“We were due to play Melville in the league that day, but we expect they’ll turn up and cheer us on,” Henckel said, adding that the club gets a lot of support from the town’s other codes. “Anyone from Ngaruawahia doing well gets noticed. The rugby and the league boys all know we are doing pretty well.”
Ngaruawahia has three players from Melville’s national summer league squad playing under coach Jeff Coulshed this season, in Aaron Kingi, captain Matthew Williams, Stuart Watene and have just lost the services of Melville goalkeeper Neil Mouncher. “Grandad” of the team is Andy Bell, a Ngaruawahia player since his junior days, at 35.