17 JUL 1998 , Edition 2, Page 10.
Coach Coulshed `smelling roses’ in Cup bid
By: ANDERSON Ian
Ngaruawahia soccer coach Jeff Coulshed was picking Hamilton Wanderers to win this year’s Chatham Cup.
Then Coulshed’s side shocked the premier division title-chasers by eliminating them from the Cup in the last round and now he believes anything is possible for his own troops.
“We’re smelling the roses,” Coulshed said in reference to his side’s dream Cup run they don’t want to end. Tomorrow, the Northern League division one side have an opportunity to make the last four when they meet premier division Bay Olympic from Auckland at Ngaruawahia’s home ground of Centennial Park.
Despite Coulshed’s insistence that the playing surface should be fine — “it’ll be better than Huntly’s” — the boggy pitch which helped Ngaruawahia defeat Wanderers 1-0 may be an asset in them overcoming their higher-ranked opposition.
That’s not to say Ngaruawahia lack quality. Only a dearth of goals has stopped them climbing higher in division one than their current sixth spot.
Their defensive record is near impeccable — just 11 goals conceded in 13 league games — and is the side’s strongest weapon, featuring national league players Aaron Kingi and Stu Watene and the talented Marcus Trail.
Coulshed took a look at Bay Olympic in their 4-2 loss against Mt Wellington in a premier league match last weekend and “picked up one or two things we’ll have up our sleeves”.
“We’ll look to stop them operating like we did against Wanderers but then it’s up to my players to perform as individuals to make us succeed as a team,” Coulshed said.
Ngaruawahia squad: Simon Eadie, Wayne Bates, Marcus Traill, Aaron Kingi, Stu Watene, Roddy Rojas, Mark Phillips, Matt Williams, Robert Edwards, Andy Bell, Johnny Bell, Nik Helwig, Glen Brown, Gary Kingi, Kerry Hawkes, Chris Barakat.