Wairarapa United begin ASB Chatham Cup defence in Taranaki

ASB Chatham Cup champions Wairarapa United will begin their defence away to New Plymouth Rangers on Queen’s Birthday Monday following today’s second round draw for the 89 year old knockout competition.

2011 ASB Chatham Cup champions Wairarapa United

May 14, 2012

AUCKLAND – ASB Chatham Cup champions Wairarapa United will begin their defence away to New Plymouth Rangers on Queen’s Birthday Monday following today’s second round draw for the 89 year old knockout competition.

The Masterton based Central League club, who had only one home game in the six victories that took them to last year’s final in Palmerston North will again begin on the road with a trip to the Taranaki Premiership club.

With all remaining seeded teams entering the draw, there are some mouth-watering clashes between regional powers around the country.

Bay Olympic hosts East Coast Bays in Auckland, Wellington United meets Miramar Rangers in the capital, Grants Braes are at home to Caversham in Dunedin and Cashmere Technical faces Halswell United in Christchurch.

However, a couple of Waikato upstarts have avoided the big names with Waikato Unicol drawing Auckland-Northern conference side Oratia United at home, and fellow Waikato-BOP federation league club Otumoetai away to Waitemata.

Auckland Sunday Leaguers Bohemian Celtic will host Northern Premier League side Onehunga Sports while Invercargill’s Old Boys heroics in beating Green Island on Saturday have earned themselves a trip to the Caledonian Ground to take on Southern Premier League leaders Dunedin Technical.

Westlake Boys High School has home advantage against two times winners Manurewa, while Stop Out have the chance to add the scalp of another cup winner to their collection drawing 2009 winners Olympic after ousting three time winners Western Suburbs on Saturday.

Elsewhere, Central League side Maycenvale face a daunting road trip across the width of the North Island from their Hastings base to Inglewood in Taranaki, while Managere United trek south east to meet Whakatane Town in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

The ASB Chatham Cup is played along regional lines in early rounds, becoming national at the quarterfinal stage. The final is scheduled for the weekend of August 25 and 26.

View the full second round draw