Park head to Waihopai in their penultimate game of the season with the Larry O’Rorke trophy on the line. Waihopai has yet to register a win this season but shouldn't be written off. Park still need to produce two good performances to ensure the Larry O’Rorke stays with the Donald Gray trophy for the summer, with Thistle also a challenger.
Park were also in action against Winton in the Charity Cup, and the Division One champions were out to rain on Park’s parade. The visitors went ahead through Derek Bruin just before halftime, but in the second half, Park equalised through a Matt McLean free kick before Ganesh Thapa put Park ahead with 15 minutes left on the clock.
It looked as though Park had done enough for the win, but some slack play in midfield let Winton have a final attack and after a goalmouth skirmish from the resulting corner, Bruin grabbed his second to even things up.
At 2-2 in the shootout, veteran Chris Pearson stepped up and fired over the bar to give Winton the edge. The pressure was on Park as Ganesh Thapa stepped up to take the crucial fifth to keep Park in the shootout, but his effort also went over the bar sending Winton into the next round 4-3 on penalties.
Some may call this an upset, and I guess it is as Winton are a league below and Park have just been crowned Donald Gray champions, but as I have said throughout the season, Winton should have been in the Donald Gray competition from the beginning. They matched Park over the 90 minutes and showed they would not have been also-rans in the top competition.
Winton are more than capable of winning the Charity Cup, but Park will be disappointed to have lost out on backing up their league win with a shot at the final.
If Winton needed evidence they could compete in the topflight this is surely it and we will see them there next season.
Old Boys faced off against Gore in the other Charity Cup final with the country men easing past the city dwellers 4-1 to set up a semi-final with Waihopai AFC who drew the bye to reach the semis. The winner will play Winton in the final.
- By Chris Montgomery
