PREVIEW: Underdogs Western take rich history into English Cup semi-final

By Harrison Ryburn

Of this season’s English Cup semi-finalists, Western AFC are the odd ones out as the only non-Southern League club to feature, and they start as heavy underdogs against a formidable Coastal Spirit outfit at English Park on Tuesday night.

Despite sitting ninth in the Canterbury Premier League (CPL) — the second tier of Mainland Football — Western have more history in this competition than most to call upon.

Main photo: Western’s Daniel Steffert celebrates scoring against Christchurch United in this year’s Chatham Cup. Photo credit: Jim Watts Photography / @jimwattsphoto

With 26 English Cup titles to their name, Western are the most successful club in the competition’s history, first winning the trophy in 1925, and most recently in 2014.

Head coach Jim Small says it will be something he mentions in the build-up, ten years on from the club’s last English Cup success.

“Cup football is often about spirit, and Western teams have more history to tap into than most clubs in the city,” he said.

After finishing last in the Canterbury Premier League last season without a single point to their name and a -83 goal difference, Western’s 2024 campaign has been a vast improvement.

Though they are second-bottom in the division, they have improved as the season has progressed, and have won two of their last three CPL games.

“There have been a lot of new players that have come in this season, and it has taken time for us to adjust to each other and find an approach that works,” Small said.

“We are much clearer on positions and our style now though, and our performances reflect that.”

Victories over Halswell United and Oxford FC, the former on penalties, has seen them progress to the semi-finals of the English Cup for the first time since 2018, when they lost at this same stage to Coastal Spirit (1-4).

Spirit are currently second in the Southern League and are Chatham Cup semi-finalists this season, making them heavy favourites to repeat the dose on Tuesday.

Despite facing a team 16 positions above them in the Mainland Football pyramid, Small believes his side can still be competitive.

“The gap between the two sides is testament to the greater depth in local football because the CPL is a good standard this season compared to relatively recent times.”

“If we play to our strengths, we have a real chance of making it hard for them to score, and being dangerous on the break.”

The English Cup semi-final will be the second of three matches for Western AFC in the space of ten days, but Small has disagreed with any suggestions that he’ll rest his top players.

“We have goals in the CPL, as well as the English Cup and although our playing resources are not so deep at present, we will be fielding our strongest side available in all games.

“A sequence like this is a challenge which can help us to improve if we take it on with the right attitude.”

Meanwhile, Coastal Spirit are in pursuit of a treble, as they remain unbeaten and in the running for the Southern League title and Chatham Cup.

They’ve never won the English Cup before, twice finishing runners-up, most recently in 2018 after a 2-3 defeat to Cashmere Technical in the final.

Comfortable wins over Waimakariri United and Parkland United haven’t tested them in the competition to date, but they’ll have to be careful of complacency against Western if they are to take a big step closer to a maiden English Cup crown.

Fixtures

Semi-finals

Game to be played on Tuesday August 6, 2024

Western v Coastal Spirit
English Park, Christchurch, 7pm

Game to be played on Tuesday August 20, 2024

Cashmere Technical v Christchurch United
English Park, Christchurch, 7pm

The English Cup

Named after Robert English (1874-1934), the English Cup was first played for in 1913 when Sydenham became its first winners.

English was the president of the Canterbury Football Association from 1911 till 1928 and and was largely responsible for the acquisition of English Park.

The park was named after him in 1915 to recognise his work, and he donated the English Cup for the annual knockout competition between Canterbury’s leading men’s teams.

Past winners

Steve Summer Medal

First introduced in 2017 and awarded to the Most Valuable Player of the final:

2017 Danny Boys (Cashmere Technical)

2018 Sean Liddicoat (Coastal Spirit)

2019 Benji Lapslie (Cashmere Technical)

2020 Lyle Mattysen (Cashmere Technical)

2021 Fraser Angus (Cashmere Technical)

2022 Garbhan Coughlan (Cashmere Technical)

2023 Matt Tod-Smith (Christchurch United)

Harrison Ryburn

Harrison Ryburn is a Canterbury-based football writer.

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