There were many mini battles and upsets featuring lower grade sides in the Chatham Cup on Saturday, but the tie that attracted the most interest and even some sideline singing was between premier league sides Roslyn-Wakari and Mosgiel, at Ellis Park.
Roslyn won what turned out to be an epic match.
It was tied 2-2 after 90 minutes, the extra time of 30 minutes added two more goals for 3-3, and the crowd was then treated to a nerve-racking penalty shoot-out which Roslyn won 5-4.
The large crowd added atmosphere by having a sideline Mosgiel choir singing throughout the match, chanting ditties featuring players' names, much to the amusement of spectators.
But on the field it was a deadly serious encounter, since Roslyn had already dented the Plainsmen's league ambitions with a 3-2 win last month at Memorial Park.
Mosgiel started strongly with better ball possession and broad based attacks kept Roslyn on the back foot.
Cody Brook went close when he hit Roslyn's woodwork, but Colin Thom's side was resolute as centreback Tyrrell Barringer-Tairi led a tight defence that survived the first half 0-0.
Isaac Snell made Mosgiel's breakthrough with a crisp shot after 52 minutes, quickly followed by Chilean playmaker Eder Franchini as Roslyn looked in disarray and down 0-2.
But the home side's tactic had been to try for quick breaks, and Barringer-Tairi pushed forward to score from a free-kick after 69 minutes and the match ignited.
Invercargill referee Craig Smith has a calm attitude, but the "choir'' and other supporters questioned several offside decisions and shirt-pulling and some crunching tackles were hotly debated.
With six minutes to go, Roslyn's form striker, Tennessee Kinghorn, burst through and hit a classic counter-attacking equaliser to tie up the match and lift the noise level by a decibel or three.
Extra time of 15 minutes each way produced some excellent attacking football as both sides went for the jugular.
Roslyn took the lead for the first time when Kinghorn rammed in a 107th minute goal, and with time running out, but then Franchini clipped in his second goal to make it 3-3.
Full time meant a penalty shoot-out, which produced moments of deathly silence as the goalkeepers faced the opposition's top marksmen.
Five kicks were taken by each team.
Roslyn keeper Tom Stevens made two saves to Liam Whittaker's one for Mosgiel and victory went to the home side.
Roslyn's coach Colin Thom was thrilled with his side.
"After going two goals down, it took an immense effort, mental and physical, for the lads to get back. I couldn't be more proud of them,'' Thom said.
Mosgiel manager Andrew Brook said his side had the game wrapped up but let it slip.
"We played well, and should have wrapped up the result, but credit to Roslyn, they seem to have become our bogey team,'' he said.
• Chatham Cup casualties also emerged elsewhere on Saturday, as Grants Braes beat Invercargill Old Boys 3-1, and Gore Wanderers knocked out Queens Park, leaving Invercargill without a representative in 89 years of the prestigious cup.
Green Island was beaten 4-2 defeat by Rovers in Queenstown and plucky lower grade Mornington lost to the premier University side 3-1, at the Caledonian, despite putting up a good fight.
Caversham cruised onwards with a 5-0 win over Northern, with goals from Andrew Ridden, Tore Waechter, Lewis Jackson and Ban Wade.
Technical beat Timaru Hearts 3-1, Dunedin scorers were David Hayman, Josh Stewart and Cam Higgins.
Women's football also produced upsets, as Queenstown thrashed Northern 13-0 in the knock-out cup, and in the Premier Women's League, Dunedin Technical hammered University B 12-0 and University A beat Roslyn's Premier 7-2.
