Around 1700 turned out to support the locals

A wholehearted Halswell United was left to rue some missed chances as its dream Chatham Cup soccer competition run ended with a home semi-final defeat to a classier Central United yesterday.
The Halswell Hawks lost 1-3 against a squad stacked with 12 Auckland City national league players. But Wayne Burt's side sent 1500 fans home from the Hawks' Nest at Halswell Domain with a consolation last-gasp goal to club stalwart Keith Grosvenor.
Grosvenor showed courage to slot home a last-minute penalty after missing a vital one in the 18th minute when his shot was saved by Central's goalkeeper and captain Ross Nicholson.
Had Grosvenor converted, it may well have turned the game Halswell's way. The home side also hit the crossbar and had a host of half-chances.

Heath McCormack goes for goal

Young Halswell goalkeeper Joel Brading, who saved a penalty from former All White Paul Urlovic, was in brilliant form, making a string of brave blocks. But Urlovic, bald-headed targetman Heath McCormack and Brazilian import Luiz Del Monte scored for the technically superior Aucklanders, who will met Palmerston North Marist in the cup final at Albany on September 5. The Manawatu men upset Wellington Olympic, 2-1, in extra-time at Wellington yesterday.
But Burt felt his Halswell charges did their club proud.
"They were fantastic. You can't be disappointed. The result didn't go our way, but it was good to get that consolation goal at the end to reward the guys' efforts."
Burt had been dubbed "Moses" by his club buddies during the cup run. But he could not quite deliver his men to the promised land of a first national final.

Jonathan Smith and Paul Seaman beaten to the ball

"Believe me, if we'd got a sniff today, we would have been in there like a shepherd's dog," he said. "We owed it to ourselves to go down fighting, we didn't want to get a towelling or a hiding ... we're disappointed, but we're proud of what we've done."
Halswell weathered an early Central storm in the first half and had three clear-cut chances of its own. Either side of Grosvenor's penalty miss, a Michael Sands shot shaved the crossbar and Jonathan Deaker flashed a shot across the goal-face.
But Central finally beat the inspired Brading on the cusp of half time with a controversial goal. McCormack appeared to be off-side when he cut a ball back for Urlovic to slot home.
McCormack embarrassed a ball-watching defence in the 54th minute by scoring after a prodigious goalkick by Nicholson.

Nicholson happy to see that one go over!

Smash-and-grab strikers Grosvenor and Sands combined sweetly soon after with Sands rising high at the far post to meet Grosvenor's cross, but his header skimmed the top of the bar.
Del Monte made it 3-0 in the 85th minute after fine work by Chad Coombes down Central's right flank. But Grosvenor got the goal he – and the Hawks – richly merited after a howler by Nicholson, who bungled a clearing kick and was left scrambling as Deaker centred. Sands' goalbound shot was deliberately handled by substitute defender Jonathan Eley, who got an early shower when he was red-carded by referee Mike Hester.

Final - Here We Come!

Scorers: Halswell United 1 (Keith Grosvenor 90min) Central United 3 (Paul Urlovic 45, Heath McCormack 54, Luiz Del Monte 85).
HT: 0-1.
Referee: Mike Hester (Wellington).

Neil Sykes on the ball

Paul Seaman lays it off