The 1977 Chatham Cup was the 50th annual nationwide knockout football competition in New Zealand.

1977 Chatham Cup
Tournament details
Venue(s)Newmarket Park, Auckland
Dates10 September 1977
Final positions
ChampionsNelson United (1st title)
Runner-upMount Wellington
← 1976
1978 →

Early stages of the competition were run in three regions (northern, central, and southern), with the National League teams receiving a bye until the Fourth Round of the competition. In all, 142 teams took part in the competition. Note: Different sources give different numberings for the rounds of the competition: some start round one with the beginning of the regional qualifications; others start numbering from the first national knock-out stage. The former numbering scheme is used in this article.

The 1977 final

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Nelson United became the first team from outside the four main urban centres to win the cup since 1962. Their winning team contained several players who were to make a considerable mark on New Zealand soccer, either as players or administrators, among them Kevin Fallon, Kenny Cresswell, Peter Simonsen, and Keith Mackay. Against them was a Mount Wellington side containing the likes of Ron Armstrong, Brian Turner, Tony Sibley, and Earle Thomas.

The final was low-scoring but not without excitement. The only goal came early in the second half when referee John Perkins pointed to the spot after a foul on Nelson's David Powdrell by Stewart Carruthers. The penalty was converted by John Enoka giving Nelson a one-goal lead they never relinquished.[1]

Results

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Third Round

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Levin United1 – 4Manawatu United (Palmerston N.)
Manurewa1 – 3Courier Rangers (Auckland)
Metro College (Auckland)3 – 6Mount Roskill
North End United (Dunedin)4 – 2Western (Christchurch)
Petone1 – 1*Waterside (Wellington)
Queens Park (Invercargill)0 – 1Mosgiel
Taranaki United (New Plymouth)1 – 1*Wanganui East Athletic
Woolston WMC2 – 1Rangers (Christchurch)

* Won on penalties by Waterside (4-2) and Wanganui East (3-2)

Fourth Round

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Stop Out (Lower Hutt)1 – 0Manawatu United

Fifth Round

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Stop Out1 – 1 (aet)*Nelson United

* Won on penalties by Christchurch Technical (14-13), Courier Rangers (5-3), Gisborne (?-?), North Shore (2-1), and Nelson United (5-4)

Quarter-finals

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Semi-finals

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Final

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Nelson United1 – 0Mount Wellington
Enoka (pen.)
Referee: John C. Perkins

References

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  1. ^ Hilton, T. (1991) An association with soccer. Auckland: The New Zealand Football Association. ISBN 0-473-01291-X. p. 78