Rampant Navy Blues cruise into fourth round

Words: ACFC Media

Saturday 17 June 2023

AUCKLAND, New Zealand - Ryan De Vries scored another hat-trick, club centurion Adam Mitchell celebrated with a goal and Liam Gillion marked his 50th game for the Navy Blues by also netting as Auckland City FC put on a show to brush aside Bucklands Beach AFC 9-0 and advance to next round of the Chatham Cup at Kiwitea Street on Saturday afternoon.

City were in control from the outset with De Vries scoring in his seventh consecutive game to give his side the lead in the third minute.

The in-form striker, who is now just three games shy of equaling Keryn Jordan and Angus Kilkolly’s club record of scoring in ten matches in a row, was far from finished as he went on to add another two to complete an impressive first half hat-trick, his second in four days.

Gillion playing in his 50th match for the club was also on target as the home side took a comfortable four-goal advantage into the break.

It could have been worse for the visitors if it wasn’t for the heroics of Anthony Mira who produced a string of brilliant saves to keep the scores respectable.

Rising teenage star Stipe Ukich came off the bench for his first-team debut and he came agonisingly close to scoring with a lovely curling effort forcing another spectacular save from Mira ten minutes into the second half.

But the Bucklands Beach custodian couldn’t do anything about City skipper Cam Howieson’s emphatic finish.

Joe Lee headed home for the Navy Blues’ sixth of the match before Angus Kilkolly struck with a stylish drive to make it 7-0.

Mitchell, who celebrated his 100th appearance for the club in Wednesday night’s Northern League victory over Manukau joined in the fun before substitute Christian Gray put the icing on the cake with an injury time goal to seal his side’s progression to the fourth round of New Zealand’s premier cup competition.

Ends

Match Result
Chatham Cup Round 3
Saturday 17 June 2023
Kiwitea Street, Sandringham
Auckland City FC: 9 (Ryan DE VRIES, 3’, 27’, 45’, Liam GILLION 12’ , Cam HOWIESON 64’, Joe LEE, 74’, Angus KILKOLLY 78’, Adam MITCHELL 80’, Christian GRAY 90’+2')
Bucklands Beach AFC: 0

HT: 4-0

AC - 1. Conor TRACEY (GK), 2. Mario ILICH, (4. Christian GRAY, 63’), 3. Adam MITCHELL 5. Michael DEN HEIJER, 7. Cam HOWIESON (c), 8. Gerard GARRIGA, 11. Ryan DE VRIES, (9. Angus KILKOLLY, 51’), 12. Regont MURATI, 13. Nathan LOBO, 16. Joe LEE, 19. Liam GILLION, (27. Stipe UKICH 51’)

SUBS NOT USED - 24. Joe WALLIS, (GK), 14. Jordan VALE,

HEAD COACH: Albert RIERA
ASSISTANT COACH: Ivan VICELICH
GK COACH: Enaut ZUBIKARAI
TECHNICAL: Adria CASALS
TECHNICAL: Jarrod WALLACE
LOGISTICS: Keith COTON
PHYSIO: Matt PAYNE