By Harrison Ryburn
Seventeen years after their formation, Coastal Spirit hope to qualify for their first Chatham Cup final when they host newly-crowned Central League champions Wellington Olympic on Sunday.
The semi-final at Linfield Park in Christchurch pits together two sides who have been dominant across the domestic football season so far, with both sides losing only once in their league campaigns.
Spirit’s sole loss, in all competitions, came to Christchurch United in a crucial Southern League clash last weekend.
How much of a toll that defeat takes on Spirit will be of much interest, particularly as they now have dropped outside the top two in the Southern League, and will need results to go their way across the remaining three rounds if they are to qualify for the National League for the first time.
Prior to defeat, Spirit had gone 22 matches unbeaten, including a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over Hibiscus Coast in the Chatham Cup quarter-finals.
The Southerners were on the verge of a shock defeat to NRFL Championship opposition at Auckland’s Stanmore Bay in Whangaparaoa, requiring an extra-time goal from Joe Hoole to level the contest at 3-3, before holding their nerve to win the shoot-out 6-5.
Ferrymead Bays, Cashmere Technical, and FC Twenty 11 are the other opposition they defeated to reach the last four as the South Island’s sole representative.
In fact, two of the last four Chatham Cup winners have resided from the South Island, with Christchurch United winning the competition last season, and Cashmere Technical champions in 2021.
A number of players have stood out for Spirit this season, but none more than American striker Alejandro (Alex) Steinwascher (23).
One of a raft of new signings made by the club at the start of the season, Steinwascher has scored 16 Southern League goals, and sits second in the league’s golden boot standings.
Defensive midfielder and captain Joe Hoole (22) is also one to watch, and has a knack for scoring goals too after grabbing the crucial double against Hibiscus Coast in the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, Wellington Olympic travel to Christchurch without a win in the South Island in the Chatham Cup for 30 years.
That last victory came against Burnside United in the 1994 quarter-finals, and they have since tasted defeat to Caversham in 2006, and Cashmere Technical in 2013.
Despite their dominance in the Central League, they’ve also only reached the Chatham Cup final twice in their history, winning it once in 2009 with a 2-1 win over Three Kings United.
Under Paul Ifill, Olympic have been dominant this season though, and are on an 18-match winning streak dating back to April, winning the Central League for a fourth consecutive year with their 1-0 win over Miramar Rangers last weekend.
READ MORE: Record-breaking Wellington Olympic take fourth Central League title in a row >>>>
Olympic’s statistician Steven Robertson confirms last weekend’s win set a new club record for seven consecutive clean sheets, making it around 700 minutes since they last conceded a goal to the Wellington Phoenix Reserves in June.
In those last seven games, they’ve also scored 40 goals without response.
Hamish Watson (31) has again been a stand-out for Olympic this season, and scored twice in their 4-0 win over Manurewa in the Chatham Cup semi-final.
Prior to that they’d also defeated Seatoun, Western Suburbs, and Stop Out on their Chatham Cup run.
Across their four matches, they’ve scored 21 goals and conceded none, averaging just over five goals in the Chatham Cup.
Sunday’s semi-final will also mark former All White Justin Gulley’s 100th appearance should he play a part, and the defender will be looking to use all of his experience to guide Olympic through to a third Chatham Cup final.
Fixtures
Games to be played on Sunday August 18, 2024
Chatham Cup
Semi-finals
Coastal Spirit v Wellington Olympic
Linfield Park, Bromley, 1pm
Auckland City v Birkenhead United
Kiwitea St, Sandringham, 2pm
PREVIEW: Birkenhead United look to steal Auckland City’s thunder in semi-final >>>>
Final
Game to be played on Saturday September 7, 2024
READ MORE: North Harbour Stadium confirmed to host double header of cup finals >>>>
Past rounds
RESULTS: Quarter-finals of 2024 Chatham Cup >>>>
RESULTS: Fourth round of 2024 Chatham Cup >>>>
RESULTS: Third round of 2024 Chatham Cup >>>>
RESULTS: Second round of 2024 Chatham Cup >>>>
RESULTS: First round of 2024 Chatham Cup >>>>
RESULTS: Preliminary round of 2024 Chatham Cup >>>>
The Chatham Cup … donated by the crew of the HMS Chatham in 1922.READ MORE: History of the Chatham Cup >>>>
All the past winners — Chatham Cup
1923 – Seacliff (Otago)
1924 – Harbour Board (Auckland)
1925 – YMCA (Wellington)
1926 – Sunnyside (Canterbury)
1927 – Ponsonby (Auckland)
1928 – Petone (Wellington)
1929 – Tramways (Auckland)
1930 – Petone (Wellington)
1931 – Tramurewa (Auckland)
1932 – Wellington Marist (Wellington)
1933 – Ponsonby (Auckland)
1934 – Thistle (Auckland)
1935 – Hospital (Wellington)
1936 – Western (Canterbury)
1937 – competition cancelled due to lack of entries
1938 – Waterside (Wellington)
1939 – Waterside (Wellington)
1940 – Waterside (Wellington)
1941-44 – no competition due to World War II
1945 – Western (Christchurch)
1946 – Wellington Marist (Wellington)
1947 – Waterside (Wellington)
1948 – Christchurch Technical Old Boys
1949 – Petone (Wellington)
1950 – Eden (Auckland)
1951 – Eastern Suburbs (Auckland)
1952 – North Shore United and Western (Canterbury)(shared)
1953 – Eastern Suburbs (Auckland)
1954 – Onehunga (Auckland)
1955 – Western (Canterbury)
1956 – Stop Out (Wellington)
1957 – Seatoun (Wellington)
1958 – Seatoun (Wellington)
1959 – Northern (Dunedin)
1960 – North Shore United (Auckland)
1961 – Northern (Dunedin)
1962 – Hamilton Technical Old Boys (Waikato)
1963 – North Shore United (Auckland)
1964 – Mount Roskill (Auckland)
1965 – Eastern Suburbs (Auckland)
1966 – Miramar Rangers (Wellington)
1967 – North Shore United (Auckland)
1968 – Eastern Suburbs (Auckland)
1969 – Eastern Suburbs (Auckland)
1970 – Blockhouse Bay (Auckland)
1971 – Western Suburbs (Wellington)
1972 – Christchurch United (Canterbury)
1973 – Mount Wellington (Auckland)
1974 – Christchurch United (Canterbury)
1975 – Christchurch United (Canterbury)
1976 – Christchurch United (Canterbury)
1977 – Nelson United (Marlborough)
1978 – Manurewa (Auckland)
1979 – North Shore United (Auckland)
1980 – Mount Wellington (Auckland)
1981 – Dunedin City (Otago)
1982 – Mount Wellington (Auckland)
1983 – Mount Wellington (Auckland)
1984 – Manurewa (Auckland)
1985 – Napier City Rovers (Hawkes Bay)
1986 – North Shore United (Auckland)
1987 – Gisborne City (Poverty Bay)
1988 – Waikato United (Waikato)
1989 – Christchurch United (Canterbury)
1990 – Mount Wellington (Auckland)
1991 – Christchurch United (Canterbury)
1992 – Miramar Rangers (Wellington)
1993 – Napier City Rovers (Hawkes Bay)
1994 – Waitakere City (Auckland)
1995 – Waitakere City (Auckland)
1996 – Waitakere City (Auckland)
1997 – Central United (Auckland)
1998 – Central United (Auckland)
1999 – Dunedin Technical (Otago)
2000 – Napier City Rovers (Hawkes Bay)
2001 – University-Mount Wellington (Auckland)
2002 – Napier City Rovers (Hawkes Bay)
2003 – University-Mount Wellington (Auckland)
2004 – Miramar Rangers (Wellington)
2005 – Central United (Auckland)
2006 – Western Suburbs (Wellington)
2007 – Central United (Auckland)
2008 – East Coast Bays (Auckland)
2009 – Wellington Olympic (Wellington)
2010 – Miramar Rangers (Wellington)
2011 – Wairarapa United (Masterton)
2012 – Central United (Auckland)
2013 – Cashmere Technical (Canterbury)
2014 – Cashmere Technical (Canterbury)
2015 – Eastern Suburbs (Auckland)
2016 – Birkenhead United (Auckland)
2017 – Onehunga Sports (Auckland)
2018 – Birkenhead United (Auckland)
2019 – Napier City Rovers (Hawkes Bay)
2020 – cancelled due to COVID-19
2021 – Cashmere Technical (Canterbury)
2022 – Auckland City (Auckland)
2023 – Christchurch United (Canterbury)
Harrison Ryburn
Harrison Ryburn is a Canterbury-based football writer.
This story was first published on August 17, 2024
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