Fencibles United will host its first Chatham Cup semi-final on Saturday 15 August, two wins from a trophy the club has never won.
Auckland City, the 2022 winners Fencibles knocked out to get there, called the tie “decided by the narrowest of margins”.
The Pakuranga club won that quarter-final 3-2 at Riverhills Park on Saturday 25 July.
Liam Wessels headed Fencibles in front from a corner on 29 minutes and Riwai Rangihuna-Stanton made it 2-0 on the stroke of half-time.
Auckland City hit back through Nathan Lobo on 67 minutes and Dylan Manickum three minutes later, and had a Michal Doudera goal ruled out for offside on 78 minutes.
Yoichi Kawachi restored the lead from long range on 88 minutes.
Deep into stoppage time Auckland City were awarded a penalty, and Fencibles goalkeeper Toby Lewis saved Angus Kilkolly’s kick with the last touch of the match.
New Zealand Football drew the semi-finals on 28 July, pairing Fencibles with Nelson Suburbs and sending Napier City Rovers to Cashmere Technical in Christchurch.
The tie kicks off at 6pm on Field 1 at Riverhills Park.
Neither club has reached a Chatham Cup final, and Fencibles’ best previous run was to the last 16 in 2003.
The Chatham Cup has been contested since 1923, making it the country’s oldest national football trophy, with the final played in September.
Fencibles United, formed in 1995 from the amalgamation of Howick AFC and Pakuranga Town AFC, does not appear anywhere on the competition’s list of winners or runners-up.
The club says it has about 2000 playing members, from under-fives to a senior in his 70s.
Its first team plays at Riverhills Park in Pakuranga, with William Green Domain in Highland Park its main training base.
The club is an Auckland FC partner, and goalkeeper Eli Jones, who played junior and senior football at Fencibles, was in the Auckland FC squad that won the inaugural OFC Professional League in May.
