GILLETTE CHATHAM CUP Top teams enter fray

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32636, 18 June 1971, Page 20

GILLETTE CHATHAM CUP Top teams enter fray

One national league dub will go out. and at least two more might be eliminated from the Gillette Chatham Cup after the first round proper—and the first entry of the major sides—tomorrow.

Either Stop Out and Wellington, which clash at Lower Hutt, will qualify for the last 16, while both Blockhouse Bay and Mount Wellington have tough encounters against Northern League sides.

Other national league clubs have drawn opposition that, on paper, should not greatly trouble them Christchurch United v. Canterbury University, Gisborne City v. Kiwi United, Eastern Suburbs v. Huntly Thistle, Dunedin Suburbs v. Invercargill Thistle, Western Suburbs v. Mororua.

Blockhouse, the cup holder, possibly has the greatest task of them all, against the strong Auckland contender for next year’s national league competion, North Shore.

Mount Wellington, the present favourite for the national title, has to travel to Hamilton, to meet the club that lies third in the Northern League and that last season knocked out Hungaria and finally went down to Blockhouse, 1-2, in the semi-finals. FULL STRENGTH But whether they are meeting tough or easier opposition, none of the national league clubs will take any chances. And that also goes for Christchurch United.

Although University plays only in the local Canterbury competition—it' leads the first division table—United will field almost a full strength side for their meeting at English Park.

The only change from the side that beat Wellington City, 6-3, last week, is M. Ellis for G. Dacombe at centre forward. Dacombe is being rested.

However, the prospective match of the day for Canterbury soccer supporters does not concern national league clubs; it is the third meeting this season between the top Southern League sides, New Brighton and Technical, in the main fixture at English Park.

Brighton beat Technical, 3-2, in the final of the preseason Dulux tournament at Rangers Park; Technical later reversed this result, winning the first-round league enconter, 2-1. SCORING MOODS

Both put themselves in goal-scoring moods last Saturday, when Brighton beat Shamrock, 5-0, and Technical defeated St Kilda, 10-0, but neither attack will find the freedom and space to repeat these performances. Technical will have available P. Kay, whose one-week suspension has ended, but Brighton will be without N. Francis, who is cup-tied, hav-

iing previously played in the j competition for Rangers. However, Brighton will have the dangerous A. Marley, who finally decided not to transfer to United this week after twice resigning from the seasiders. The other first-round ties tomorrow are: Douglas Villa l (Masterton) v. Seatoun (Welllington); Dunedin City v. InI vercargill United; Napier City v. Miramar Rangers; Papakura v. Ellerslie; Whangarei v. Takapuna City. The national league club, Mount Al-bert-Ponsonby has a bye. The last 16 will comprise six clubs from each of the northern and central regions, and four from the southern. In the second round, separate draws will be made for northern and central, while the zone winners of the firstround matches in the two southern sections will play off. The eight survivors will go into an open draw for the quarter-finals.

Gisborne thistle has withdrawn from its match against the Central League first division leaders. Nelson United, because of financial difficulties, so Nelson will now go into the second round.