The Chatham Cup quarter-finals provided their fair share of knockout soccer drama as Lower Hutt City, Miramar Rangers, Caversham and Central United won through to the final four.
Missed penalties, an own goal, red cards - including one to a coach - and plenty of goals punctuated a round that also marred by a badly broken leg to Manukau City goalkeeper Sergio Bustos.
Lower Hutt City and Birkenhead United played out a 3-2 thriller on Auckland's North Shore with Hamish Watson putting the visitors in front with less than two minutes on the clock, tapping home after his penalty was tipped on to the post.
Birkenhead thought they had equalised again from a corner only for the referee to rule the ball hadn't crossed the line and their frustration boiled over when coach Paul Hobson was sent from the bench for dissent.
In the remaining games, Central United beat Eastern Suburbs 2-0 while a late flurry of goals in Wellington helped Miramar Rangers see off the challenge of Dunedin Technical 5-1.
In Dunedin, Caversham edged past a spirited Manukau City side 3-1 at the Caledonian but had to do so with 10 men for most of the second half.
The semi-finals will be played on August 4-5, with the final scheduled three weeks later.
NZN