The lunch was followed by the derby game between Wellington United and Miramar, which United won comfortably 6-1, with Calvin Harris scoring 4 and Ben Waine getting 2, while ex Wellington United player, Ruari Cahill-Flurey scored for Miramar.
This is a copy of the piece that I wrote on the rivalry between the clubs that was produced in the match day program
THE RIVALRY
Football
produces some famous rivalries and more often than not there is a
common history between the fiercest of rivals. For example Everton
and Liverpool were formed by the same person, Liverpool being formed
after John Houlding evicted Everton for non payment of rent at his
Anfield football ground. While there were no evictions here in
Wellington, the story of the formation of two great rivals in
Wellington United and Miramar Rangers is intertwined by a Mr Harry
Power.
Harry
Power was a member of the original parent club of Wellington United,
Diamond FC. Diamond FC had originally been formed as the Star rugby
club in 1887, by 1892 they had changed their names to Diamond and in
1893 they made the decision to change to playing association rules.
Harry
Power, an English immigrant, played for the first couple of seasons
when Diamond were a junior club. While records are patchy he did
mange to score 2 goals in a 3-0 win against the United club in 1894.
While he doesn't appear in any first team records after that he was
still involved in the club and was described as one of its most
prominent members. In 1897 he presented two medals for competition to
the club. In 1900 a move due to his work meant he left Wellington and
resigned from the Diamond club. At the AGM that year the club voiced
it's regret at his departure, wrote him a letter expressing this and
elected him the club's first Life Member.
The
next time Harry Power is mentioned in the club records is in 1902
when he was elected a vice president. It is also known that he
returned to Wellington and moved to the developing town of Miramar,
which had a population of around 40 at the time.
In
1907 the Wellington tram was extended out to Miramar and Seatoun and
the place became to grow. Mr Power saw the need for a football club
and set about forming Miramar Rangers AFC and entered them in the
junior grades, probably not realising that he had established a club
that would go on to become Diamond's greatest rival.
Miramar
remained a junior club until 1929 and it wasn't until 1940 that the
senior teams actually met on the field in division 1B with Diamond
running out easy 11-2 victors.
In
1959 Miramar joined Diamond in the Senior A division and the rivalry
started to grow. A pre season friendly between the clubs became a
tradition, and while Diamond won the Venus Shield three times in a
row (1963,64,65) they only managed 1 win in 9 games against Miramar
in this period.
In
1968 Diamond merged with Wellington United (formely Zealandia) to
form WDU, but still the Miramar hoodoo prevailed with the new club
again only managing 1 win 9 games from 1968-72. WDU managed to turn
the tables after this remaining unbeaten in their next 9 encounters,
including welcoming Miramar into the National League in 1981 with a
7-0 hiding.
It
was during the 1970s that Miramar Rangers had a hand in forming
another of the Wellington United family of clubs – Wellington City.
Hungaria were in the National League, and looking for more depth and
finances they joined with Miramar and created Wellington City as a
composite club, both Hungaria and Miramar retaining their own
identies. Miramar withdrew from the arangement a year later, but
Wellington City continued on supported by Hungaria. Hungaria
eventually were absorbed in to the City club in 1979 and then in 1985
City merged with WDU to form Wellington United.
Both
clubs have been top if the game in the country, WDU winning the
National League in 1976, 81 & 85, Miramar have won it twice
(2002, 03). While both clubs seem to take it in turns dominating the
derby clashes, Wellington United's best run coming from 1986-92 when
they lost only 4 of 17 encounters. Currently United have won 4 of the
last 5 games between the two. Games which have produced 33 goals
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| Calvin Harris - 4 goals PIC Dr yomcat shoots |
RECENT HISTORY
Since 2000 both Miramar Rangers and Wellington United have faced each other but not with the same frequency as previously when they were both in the National League.
Memorable clashes included the 2000 Chatham Cup tie which saw United lead until Miramar prevailed 4-2 in extra time at Newtown Park. In 2004, United dealt Rangers their only loss of the season 2-1 again at Newtown Park in a season in which Miramar would claim the Chatham Cup and Capital Premier title. Dom Rowe was the difference for United before he moved across to Miramar in 2007.
With the reintroduction of the Central League in 2005 the fixtures were dominated by Miramar, however there were many tight encounters along the way. Since United's return to the Central League in 2016 they have won all four league fixtures (4-3,5-1,3-2 & 7-4) with Miramar's only success coming in the Chatham Cup fixture last season when they won 4-2 despite going down to 10 men.
Thanks to Ian Rogers for assistance with the more recent history
With great rivals it's not unusual to have a cup that's played for between the clubs. In the past there was a trophy called the Glen Hall trophy. Glen played 79 games for Wellington Diamond United in the 1970s, while his wife Kathy (nee Simoneoff) played for Miramar Rangers and New Zealand. Glen's brother-in-law and Kathy's brother, Mike Simoneoff played 215 games for WDU before moving across to play for Miramar.
Unfortunately over time the Glen Hall Trophy has been misplaced and not seen for a long time.
At this game the Commemorative Cup was introduced to be played for between Wellington United and Miramar Rangers. The cup signals not just the rivalry but also the goodwill between the clubs and honours the contribution of leading figures at each club. The inaugural names on the trophy are Ian Wells & David Farrington (Miramar) and John Shanks & Bobby Minshull from Wellngton United
WELLINGTON UNITED 6 (Calvin Harris 4, Ben Waine 2)
MIRAMAR RANGERS 1 (Ruari Cahill-Fleury)
Ultra Central League
Newtown Park, Monday April 2nd, 2018
Wellington United win Commemorative Cup
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| Wellington United with the Commemorative Cup |
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