While the students started strongly, they were left with an uphill battle when Northern opened the scoring in the 12th minute.
Northern striker Angus Milne received the ball from a throw-in and attacked the byline. University keeper Jefferson Potrich may have been guilty of over-reading the play by anticipating a cut back from Milne.
However the Northern striker called the keeper's bluff and stroked the ball past him on his near post for Northern to take an early 1-0 lead.
While University won the lion's share of first-half possession and looked accomplished stoking it around the park, the final accurate penetrating pass was generally missing.
In-form Varsity striker Peter Rae received close attention from Northern's central defenders, Norbert Dreyer and man-of-the-match Mike Scott, who patrolled their defensive third with steely determination.
University made sure of an exciting finish when it pressed for an equaliser in the 77th minute by attacking down the left side. Ifeanyi Unamaou showed good pace to outflank the defence and delivered an accurate cutback to Sam Brailsford, who tapped in to equalise at the far post.
A quality goal to settle any game came in the 86th minute when midfielder Jason Anson found time and space just outside the Varsity penalty area and curled a spectacular match-winner in off the upright to claim the cup tie and entry into the third-round draw of the 90th edition of the Chatham Cup.
At Tonga Park, Caversham fended off a dogged Old Boys side 3-2.
The game opened up in the 17th minute when a Caversham short corner was received by Andrew Ridden, who turned his marker with ease before delivering a teasing pinpoint cross to the far post for central defender Simon Ward to head home.
The home side doubled its lead in the 41st minute after some good build-up work down the lefthand edge of the Old Boys penalty area and another accurate cross produced a carbon copy header for Ward to notch his second. Old Boys coach Ignacio Sande gave an inspired half time talk and left midfielder Jack Boland certainly listened with both ears.
A golden two-minute spell for Borland had Old Boys back in the game. The first showcased his good technique with close control, a deceptive turn and an accurate strike which rebounded off the inside of the upright.
The second - arguably the goal of the game - had Borland on a mazy diagonal dribble through the Caversham penalty area, beating at least three defenders before lifting the ball past Caversham keeper Liam Little and subsequently being mobbed by his team mates.
There was a measurable lift in intensity throughout the Caversham team with the speed of their passing increasing a couple of notches.
The game was decided in the 67th minute, when Seamus Ryder scorched down the left flank and delivered a quality cut out ball to the far post. None other than Caversham veteran Bradley Scott was on hand, displaying perfect timing to ram home the winner from close range and see Caversham through to the next round.
In other matches, Dunedin Technical saw off a spirited Grants Braes side 4-1 at Tahuna Park, after the teams were locked 1-1 at halftime, and Roslyn Wakari scored in the last minute of extra time to edge past Queens Park 3-2 in Invercargill.
The next round of the Chatham Cup is scheduled for the weekend of June 15 and 16. The draw will be made by New Zealand Football during the week.
- by Wilson James.
