FOOTBALL
GISBORNE football fans have a feast of viewing pleasure this weekend.
Tomorrow, Heavy Equipment Services Gisborne United play Taradale in a Pacific Premiership game at Harry Barker Reserve at 2.30pm.
On Sunday, Waikanae Beach TOP10 Gisborne Thistle play Central Federation League high-flyers Massey University in a match that starts at 12 midday.
Both visiting sides should bring the best out of the local teams.
Taradale sit fifth in the eight-team premiership with two wins and three losses, 10 goals for and 10 against.
But the losses were by no more than two goals, and two of them — to league leaders Maycenvale and third-placed Napier City Rovers Seconds — were by 2-1 scorelines.
Last weekend, United drew level with City Rovers only with the game’s last kick.
While second-placed United will be favourites to win this match, Taradale have a history of causing Gisborne teams more trouble than expected.
United player-coach Kieran Venema yesterday said a decision on some spots might have to wait until matchday.
Malcolm Marfell, used lately as both a leftback and left-winger, will definitely be unavailable. He is going to a wedding.
Livewire striker Josh Harris has been playing with injury niggles, and sweeper Kieran Higham didn’t train on Tuesday to give himself a chance to get over an injury he picked up at the weekend.
James Bristow looks headed for another outing at leftback, but the places under injury clouds might stay that way until after matchday fitness tests.
Josh Adams and Sam Royston look set to be up front, and Dane Thompson and Corey Adams will likely fill the midfield engine-room spots.
At the back, Mal Scammell will probably be the central ball-winner, with Adam Simpson at rightback and Seth Piper in goal.
Venema said an early goal for United would settle them. Usually they were able to close out the result from there.
Thistle coach Garrett Blair is considering changes to his midfield formation following the Jags’ 5-1 loss to Palmerston North Marist, who moved to the top of the league on the basis of goals scored . . . they have two more than Massey University.
One change to the Thistle line-up is injury-related. Daniel Venema is expected to start at centreback while Ryan Anderson is stood down as a precautionary measure following the knock he received in a clash of heads last Saturday.
Blair said he wanted to make the midfield more resilient, so that the players there were better able to adjust to changes in the game.
“We have three different types of player in midfield, and it only really works when all of them are doing their jobs,” he said.
“If anyone is off their game, it can fall away pretty quickly.”
He expected the personnel to be “very similar” to last week, but they would be deployed differently.
The forward line would be the same, for the most part, as would the defence.
Justo Rodriguez and Kuba Jerabek were both contenders for the leftback spot, while on the other flank, Brandon Josling was likely to start at rightback.
Massey will have at least one face familiar to Gisborne supporters.
George Andrew, who turned out at centreback for Thistle in breaks from his time in the United States on a football scholarship, is playing for Massey in midfield.
His heading ability could be a worry at set-pieces, and he’s no slouch on the ball.
Thistle are fourth in the nine-team league but have a game in hand on the top two teams and are only four points behind them. A win this week would put them right back in the title race.