An understrength Melville showed a ton of character as they came back from 0-2 down to beat North Shore United 3-2 away in the second round of the Chatham Cup with three precious goals in the final 14 minutes.

With cup holders Christchurch United knocked out, it left Melville - beaten finalists on penalties in 2023 - as the best performed team from last year still alive in the competition.

With Ryan Noon suspended, John Oakman injured, Max Tommy perhaps over-confidently rested for the day, and Ryen Lawrence, Carlos Ranui and Jama Boss ineligible to play, it was an unfamiliar starting XI for Melville.

You could have accurately summed up Melville as Erik Panzer and a bunch of kids at allen Hill Stadium.

Nathan Marlowe, 17, made his first team debut in goal, 16-year-old Ethan Blakely did very well on making his first team debut as a defender off the bench, while 16-year-old Caleb Woodfield also made his first team debut as sub (in replacing earlier sub in assistant coach-come-player Aaron Folan).

If it wasn't a cup classic in terms of standard of play, it was certainly one of Melville's great escapes, after having trailed most of the afternoon to a struggling club from a division lower, to finally nudge ahead then survive the drama of conceding a late penalty.

It was looking pretty grim for Melville after 75 minutes, trailing 0-2 and playing like drains.

But then Big Erik went forward for a set piece and found the back of the net - only for a pernickety linesman to raise his flag.

The only evident incident was a Shore player handling on the line and the referee eventually overruled his assistant and allowed the goal to stand.

Five minutes later Lucca Lim crashed the ball, home after a run down the right and it was all on at 2-2

Another three minutes later and 17-year-old stopper Niall Fletcher seemed to have forced the ball over the line for his first goal of his first team career, but golden boot contender Panzer was on hand to make sure there was no argument and was later credited with the strike.

Isaac Bates, 17, immediately sought to inflame up the sometimes feral home crowd behind Marlowe's goal, gesticulating and inferring that they only sang when they were winning.

All good fun, but more drama was to follow as Shore were awarded an 89th minute penalty which could have sent the game to extra time.

Marlowe fannied around like an old pro, taking time to take his gloves off and put them on again and prowl around without any obvious purpose. When the kick was finally taken it was hopelessly skied into the rubbish tip and the back of the pitch, not even requiring a save.

"That is our DNA right there," said coach Jared Young, reflecting on a sometimes inept and sometimes stirring performance.

Young awarded Marlowe player of the day for his gamesmanship at the death

Melville reserves lost 2-5 away to West Coast Rangers.

Article added: Sunday 02 June 2024