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Roy Race in Rovers Ranks ?
Rab Smith

There could be larger crowds than ever at the Caledonian ground where Melchester Rovers play Roslyn-Wakari in a Chatham Cup tie on Saturday at 2 pm.

Autograph hunters looking for the Rovers best known player Roy Race will however be disappointed since the former England international will not play.

Injured in a helicopter crash, Race spent time in a coma, and regained consciousness to find that his left foot had been amputated which finished his playing career.

Possibly Race’s greatest achievement was winning successive European Cup, World Club Cup, and FA Cup wins as well as a European Cup medal, and at international level captaining England in several World Cups.

Considering Roy of the Rovers started playing for Melchester in 1954 the multi talented striker’s longevity is impressive, even for a much loved British cartoon character.

Its a measure of Race's long career that he actually went for his first trial with Phil Kelly and he passed on the training regime that has kept Phil pumping in all those goals for all those years.

Dunedin’s Melchester Rovers, as well as many other ‘Melchester Rovers’ round the world is a club formed in Roy's honour in 2002, and it has grown to have a total of 14 teams playing weekly in Footballsouth senior and junior divisions.

Melchester plays in the third division, but there is no lack of spirit in the side, and especially in the early stages, Roslyn can look forward to a keen contest.

Tightest cup-tie of the round should be at Memorial park where Mosgiel will be looking for a repeat of its 3-2 League win over Queenstown.

Phil Kelly, Mike Abbott and Morgan Day scored then to keep Mosgiel in its FPL third place, but Queenstown striker Carlos Herrmann also got a couple so todays contest should be a good re-match.

Bottom of the FPL Green Island is an improving unit, but will need to again lift its game against Northern at Sunnyvale to stay in the Cup.

Grants Braes recent success will be tested by Northern Hearts at Ocean Grove. Timaru’s combined side once reached the fifth round of the Cup, back in 1980 and scored twice against Dunedin City but eventually lost 5-2.

An Otago side Seacliff won the first Cup final in 1923, beating Wellington YMCA 4-nil, and most recent was the upset 2-1 win by Wellington Olympic over Three Kings United last year.

The Chatham Cup is one of New Zealand sport's oldest and most coveted trophies, steeped in history and tradition. First contested in 1923, the cup was gifted to the then NZ Football Association in 1922 by the crew of the British naval vessal HMS Chatham as a token of appreciation for the hospitality they had encountered on a visit to New Zealand.

In this 87th year, the knockout competition will become national at the last 16 stage, one round earlier than in recent years.

The Cup’s format is modelled on England's FA Cup run along regional lines in the early rounds but for the fourth round eight teams from the Northern Region and two each from the Central and Southern Regions will enter an open draw.

Chatham Cup 2010, and Fsouth Fixtures              

       Melchester Rovers           v   Roslyn Wakari             2:00 pm         Caledonian
       Ref J Cowie                      AR1 B Hart                            AR2 P Faithful

       Grants Braes AFC            v   Northern Hearts               2:00 pm         Ocean Grove
       Ref E Cook                       AR1 K Nare                            AR2 M Currie

       Old Boys (Inv.)                 v   Queens Park                     2:00 pm         Invercagill
       Ref  To be advised

       Southend United             v   Waihopai                          2:00 pm         Bain Park ‑ Inv.
       Ref To be advised

       Green Island AFC             v   Northern AFC                    2:00 pm         Sunnyvale
       Ref G McNicol                   AR1 P Cook                           AR2 A Neilson

       Mosgiel                            v   Queenstown                     2:00 pm         Memorial
       Ref R Roberts                   AR1 D Langley                       AR2 K Smith

                        Div 2 AJ Grant Playgear

       Grants Braes        v   Northern 2nds                  12:45 pm        Oval 1      Ref M Bell

       Roslyn Wakari      v   Green Island 2nds            12:45 pm        Ellis         Ref H Philip

       Dn Technical    v   Balclutha 1st                     2:45 pm         Culling         Ref J Clamp

       Mosgiel 2nds    v   Mornington                       2:45 pm         Memorial     Ref K Evans

       University         v   Caversham 2nds            2:45 pm         Logan Park Ref S Markham

       Div 3 Amalgamated Builders

       Dunedin Technical 3rds    v   Roslyn Wakari White        12:45 pm        Culling Park 1

       Melchester                       v   Northern 3rds                   12:45 pm        Bayfield Park 1

       Mosgiel 3rds                    v   University 3rds                 12:45 pm        Memorial 2

       Roslyn Wakari  Black        v   Caversham 3rd                 12:45 pm        Ellis Park 2

       Northern B                       v   Green Island 3rds             2:45 pm         Forrester Park 3

       Div 4 Healthy Soils

       Melchester                       v   Northern  4th                    12:45 pm        Bayfield Park 2

       Caversham Smeg            v   Dunedin Tech 4th             12:45 pm        Tonga Park 2

       Roslyn Wakari 4th Black  v   University 4ths                 2:45 pm         Ellis Park 2

       Roslyn 4th White             v   Melchester Sharks            2:45 pm         Brockville 1

       Grants Braes 4th             v   Green Island 4ths             2:45 pm         Oval 1

       Div 5 Brandwell Moller

       Caversham Phoenix         v   Northern B                        12:45 pm        Tonga Park 3

       Grants Braes Arana         v   Redemption                      12:45 pm        Ocean Grove 2

       Northern A                       v   Balclutha 5th                    2:45 pm         Gardens

       Caversham 5th                v   Bye                                   2:45 pm         Tonga Park 3

      
       Div 6 AJ Grant Clothesline                                                                                                                 
       Dunedin Tech. Gerries     v   Bye                                   12:00 am

       Northern Relics                v   Roslyn Wakari Originals    12:45 pm        Gardens

       Roslyn Wakari Stallions   v   Northern Masters            2:45 pm         Ellis 4

       Grants Braes Yellow        v   Melchester Rovers            2:45 pm         Ocean Grove 2

       Green Island Green         v   Roslyn Wakari Moas         2:45 pm         Sunnyvale 3

       Dunedin Tech. Colts         v   Grants Braes Black           2:45 pm         Culling Park 2

       Green Island Gold            v   Mosgiel Masters                2:45 pm         Sunnyvale S4

       Dn Tech. Frotters     v   Highgate Hobbitts            2:45 pm         De Carle Park

 

       Sunday, 
Kingsgate Hotel Premier Women

       Dunedin Tech. A               v   University A                      1:00 pm         Culling Park 2

       Roslyn Wakari                  v   Dunedin Tech B                 1:00 pm         Ellis Park 1

       Senior Women

       Green Island Green         v   Green Island Gold             1:00 pm         Sunnyvale 2

       Dunedin Tech Swans       v   Northern Women Gold      1:00 pm         Culling Park 1

       Balclutha Women             v   Roslyn Wakari  White       1:00 pm         Bal. Showgrounds

       Mosgiel Women               v   Roslyn Wakari Black          1:00 pm         Memorial 4

       Grants Braes Arana         v   Grants Braes Women       1:00 pm         Ocean Grove 2

       Northern Women White   v   Caversham Women          1:00 pm         Forrester Park 1

Otago Secondary School Boys

Wednesday 19 May
Premier Grade 4 Ground Kick-Off Referee
SOHS v TAIC South Otago High School 3.45pm
KHSD v OBHS Oval 1 3.45pm
JMCG v LOGA Bayfield 1 3.45pm
KAVA v KVLY Kaikorai Valley College 3.45pm
BAYF bye

Reserve Grade 4
OBHS White v JMCG Oval 2 3.45pm
KHSD v KVLY King's High School No. 2 3.45pm
OBHS Blue bye

Junior Grade 4
OBHS 10 Blue v JMCG Blue John McGlashan College 3.45pm
OBHS 9 Blue v KHSD Y10 Oval 3 3.45pm
JMCG Red v OBHS 10 White Roberts Park 3.45pm
LOGA v KVLY Alternate date
OBHS 9 White v KHSD Y9 Oval 4 3.45pm