Thistle’s only win has been against Napier City Rovers Feds, 3-2, in Gisborne in April.
Levin impressed as a fit, skilful and tenacious side who were young and generally slightly built.
They deserved their win, but Thistle had one player sent off and another sin-binned late in the match, and the Jags missed a penalty.
Levin were well organised by coach Peter Vine. They were an advertisement for the benefits of clubs being involved in coaching school sides.
Vine said the college teams were registered as teams in the club.
Thistle are travelling to Levin tomorrow morning — flying to Wellington and taking an 18-seat minibus north to Horowhenua.
They will be without policemen Jarom Brouwer and Matt McVey (both working), and Kuba Jerabek and Nick Land (both injured).
Goalkeeper Mitchell Stewart-Hill suffered a hip injury in the game against Massey University and then became ill, which slowed his return because he could not do the recovery work.
Midfielder/striker Sam Patterson came off the field last Saturday after going over on his left ankle. At training this week he strapped the ankle and jogged.
“It’s a bit touch and go,” Blair said.
“We’ll probably take him, stretch it and get him to warm up. He might be able to get 45 minutes in.”
Blair said Cullen Spawforth would be back in the squad after his one-playing-day suspension for an accumulation of yellow-card offences.
Spawforth is a player who can create something from next to nothing, and his contribution tomorrow could be invaluable.
The likely Thistle line-up will be Mark Baple in goal; Alex Davies at rightback, Andre Riley at leftback, and Ryan Anderson and Daniel Venema as double centrebacks; Kieran Venema and Ash McMillan as holding players behind either Cory Thomson or Raydon Semmens in the attacking midfield role; and Patterson up front on the right, Travis White down the middle and Spawforth on the left.
Blair said that if Patterson was unable to play, Davies would be shifted forward, Reece Brew would likely be brought into centreback and Daniel Venema would go to fullback.
Thomson and Semmens were bracketed because Thomson picked up an ankle injury last Saturday and Blair wanted to be sure he was OK to start.
“This will be a game where we’ll want to put in a really good shift,” Blair said.
“It basically sets up one of the teams to finish last. We’re going there for three points.”
The ALH Thistle Reserve team have no game this weekend. They have one round-robin game to go, then start a top-four/bottom-four round that will give them three more games.
