A big day for Gisborne United

MIDFIELD CONTEST: Gisborne United midfielder Corey Adams (in the foreground, right) contests possession with a player from Havelock North Wanderers Reserves in a Pacific Premiership game at Harry Barker Reserve, site of tomorrow's Central Federation Cup final between United and North End, of Palmerston North. File picture by Paul Rickard

Gisborne United go into the biggest game of their season without two key players and with a Covid call hanging over another.

But player-coach Josh Adams is confident United have the playing depth to absorb the changes required without weakening the team.

Heavy Equipment Services Gisborne United play North End, of Palmerston North, in the final of football's Central Federation Cup at Harry Barker Reserve at 12.30pm tomorrow.

And as if the task of beating a high-flying team playing two levels above them were not enough, United will be without centreback Mal Scammell and left-sided flank player Malcolm Marfell.

Scammell also missed last week's semifinal victory over New Plymouth side Peringa. The left-knee injury keeping him on the sideline is thought to be a slight tear in the medial cruciate ligament. Ultrasound scans taken this week should be more definitive.

Marfell booked travel months ago, thinking United's season would be over by now. He played an influential role against Peringa, scoring a goal and turning up in handy positions in defence and on attack.

United will miss him tomorrow.

Adams is sweating on the results of two Covid tests tomorrow morning. Goalkeeper Seth Piper and attacking player Josh Blair were both close contacts of Covid cases among flatmates.

Adams is “pretty confident” they will test negative tomorrow morning and be able to play.

Piper was United's man of the match against Peringa. His saves kept the New Plymouth side at bay when they were trying to get back into the game after falling behind.

Blair has been used mainly as a substitute in the cup campaign.

For the Federation Cup games, the United Premiers have brought in striker Stu Cranswick and midfielder Aaron Graham from the United “Firsts”, who were the top United team in the Eastern League before the Premiers dropped from the Pacific Premiership to the local league this year.

For the game against Peringa, Jonathan Purcell was drafted from the Firsts to take the place of Scammell and he fitted in seamlessly alongside Kieran Higham.

Graham will likely be the holding midfielder behind Corey Adams and Dane Thompson, with Josh Adams and Cranswick up front. Adam Simpson is likely to be wide on the right, as either a fullback or wingback, and Baxter Mackay has been used both in wide areas and up front.

North End finished third in the nine-team Central Federation League and beat Gisborne Thistle home and away.

Coach Scott Robson was appointed in January. He was a defender who played over a hundred games in the successor to the National Soccer League, the New Zealand Football Championship, for YoungHeart Manawatu and Team Wellington.

He was in Chatham Cup-winning teams twice, with Wellington Olympic and Wairarapa United, and was awarded the Jack Batty Memorial Cup for player of the final when Wairarapa won it in 2011.

The team Robson guided reflected that experience. They were fit, fast and willing. They played good football and were tactically aware. Their defenders were uncompromising and their attackers scored goals. Thomas Bell and Lucian Armstrong scored eight each in the Federation League, and Ryan McDermott scored six.

Nevertheless, Thistle were not far off the pace in their home game against North End in July. They just conceded three soft goals. And United beat Thistle in the Federation Cup.

United won the Pacific Premiership last year and could have sought promotion to the Federation League. But they lost some players and decided to regroup in the Eastern League. They are substantially the side that beat some capable opponents in Hawke's Bay.

Player-coach Adams said having the final at Harry Barker Reserve was a “big positive” for United.

“We've played there for five seasons,” he said.

“In that time we've lost only two games there. It's a fortress for us.

“It's a small field and we like that. We can play our brand of football.”

Adams said he wanted United to play their game, so that North End had to counter it, rather than the other way around.

“You have to go in confident,” he said.

“If you go in thinking you're the underdogs, you're not going to perform.

If the scores are level at the end of 90 minutes, two 15-minute periods of extra time will be played, followed by a penalty shootout if the scores are still tied.

North End are understood to be travelling to Gisborne today. The game's earlier-than-normal start time (12.30pm) is to allow them to get on the road early for the trip home.