History counted for little as four teams with 13 titles between them were bundled out in the quarterfinals of football's Chatham Cup this weekend.
North Shore's Glenfield Rovers led the way for the underdogs, Jason Hicks' 90th-minute winner sealing a come-from-behind 3-2 win over defending champions and four-time winners Central United.
More drama followed as substitute Hamish Allen claimed a dramatic 2-1 win for Nelson Suburbs against last year's runnersup Western Suburbs with the last kick of extra time.
East Coast Bays had an easier time, joining Glenfield and Nelson as semifinals debutants with a 6-0 win over nine-man Waitakere City, while Dunedin Technical are the only previous winners left in the semifinals thanks to a 2-1 win over three-time winners Miramar Rangers in Dunedin.
Three-time winners Western Suburbs took the lead through a 25th- minute Rupert Ryan penalty in Nelson today but the home side were back on level terms through Solomon Islands international Joses Nawo three minutes after halftime.
The scores remained locked through the second half and almost 30 minutes of extra time until Allen, a substitute in the second period of extra time, was on hand to put away Sam Ayers' parried shot.
"It was a real battle but we endured," Nelson Suburbs coach John Brydon said.
"We're a young side and it's all a bit new for the players but they're excited about it and with the crowd we got today they're realising that the province is getting behind them.
" I think it's slowly dawning on them how important the Chatham Cup is."
In Dunedin, headers from Andy Coburn and Richard Smith put Technical 2-0 up inside 20 minutes today and although Nick Tromp pulled a goal back for Miramar from a goalmouth scramble two minutes before halftime the southerners held on to complete a South Island double over Wellington clubs.
Yesterday, Central United looked to be in control after 30 minutes with goals to Dave Richmond and Grant Young but Glenfield's Kuba Sinkora made the most of a poor Central United clearance to reduce the deficit just before halftime.
Fero Mudrick latched on to a long free-kick to head the sides level three minutes after the restart and, while both sides had chances to win the match, the glory went to Hicks and Glenfield just as the game looked set for extra time.
Also in Auckland, three-time winners Waitakere City were no match for East Coast Bays, although they were not helped by red cards -- both for second bookable offences -- to Stu Hogg and Ash Solly.
Leigh Kenyon set up Dan Peat to open the scoring in the 23rd minute before grabbing a second himself four minutes later.
A bad start was made worse for Waitakere when Hogg was sent off in just the 35th minute.
Waitakere were reduced to nine men midway through the second half when Solly was sent for an early shower but second-half goals to Jack Beguely and Joe Bresnahan had already made the game safe for East Coast Bays.
Beguely netted his second in the 71st minute before George Suri completed the scoring in the 75th minute.
