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FOOTBALL
WAINUI Sharks fought back from two goals down to beat Gisborne Boys’ High School 5-3 in Eastern League Division 1 football on Saturday.
Boys’ High went ahead about 15 minutes in when striker Jirah Wanoa outpaced the Wainui defence and struck a fine left-footed shot from the edge of the penalty area.
Fellow striker Jack Fenn made it 2-0 less than 10 minutes later with good follow-up play and a tidy shot to finish.
Wainui hit back 10 minutes before the break when Jeff Allen won a near-post header to score off a right-wing cross.
They equalised early in the second half when central midfielder Greg Judd was first to a loose ball in the penalty area and made no mistake from close range.
Wainui then had a piece of luck when stand-in goalkeeper Mike Morrissey punted a clearance deep into the Boys’ High half. The wind and the “Wainui bobble” did the rest, and the ball eluded everyone on its way into the Boys’ High goal . . . 3-2.
Judd gave Wainui some breathing space with a close-range effort that made it 4-2Judd gave Wainui some breathing space with a close-range effort that made it 4-2.
But Wanoa showed good determination to contest a loose ball with Morrissey and get the vital touch . . . 4-3.
Boys’ High were right back in the game and had more chances but could not add to their tally.
Judd’s partner in the centre of the Wainui midfield, Mal Furlan, clinched the win with a sidefoot strike from the edge of the penalty area to make it 5-3.
For Wainui, Judd’s goals and midfield industry got him their man-of-the-match award, and Furlan was not far behind.
New players Ronnie Potter, in left midfield, and Patrick Murphy, at leftback, showed they would be useful additions to the squad.
Matt Smith had a commanding game at centreback and Allen gave a wholehearted performance up front.
Morrissey plays an outfield role for Wainui Demons but agreed to go in goal for the Sharks because they were short.
Boys’ High coach Richard Mulligan said Morrissey produced one of the best saves he had seen in years when, in the first two minutes of the game, a Boys’ High player struck a volley from seven metres.
“It went pretty much straight at him, but somehow he held it,” Mulligan said.
“Two of our players were on hand, waiting for him to spill it.”
Former Gisborne City and All White rightback Mulligan is coaching again, lured back to the whistle-and-clipboard brigade by the prospect of helping the team his grandson plays for.
Mulligan says coaching the school team has given him a new lease of life in football. And it must be nice seeing your grandson — Wanoa — score a couple of goals.
Others to shine for Boys’ High were Fenn for his work rate, Bradley Clark for his solidity in central midfield, and Connor Pitman, who had a “stormer” at centreback.
“We’ve got a largely new team,” Mulligan said.
“It often happens with school sides, when you have a lot of players leaving at once and you have to start from scratch.
“We’re a young side but the players are enjoying themselves and getting to understand their jobs in the system we’re playing.”
QRS Wairoa Athletic gave Thistle Massive a scareQRS Wairoa Athletic gave Thistle Massive a scare at Childers Road Reserve, coming back from two goals down to threaten the league leaders before Thistle eased away in the second half to win 5-2.
Thistle opened the scoring through Nic Somerton in the 13th minute, then went two up when Kane Stirton scored from the penalty spot in the 17th.
Wairoa got one back when Teahu Munro ran on to a through-ball and flicked it on to Marek Schirnack, who turned and fired into the corner of the goal.
Hudson Leite scored from close range for Thistle in the 44th minute to make it 3-1 at the break.
Wairoa had a lively start to the second half, and winger Tim Gledhill and Schirnack combined well on the left before Schirnack drove the ball into the Thistle penalty area, where it took a deflection off a defender on its way into the net . . . 3-2.
Thistle pulled away late in the game, Somerton and Stirton scoring again after 75 and 85 minutes respectively.
For Thistle, Raymond Rickard was named man of the match for another in a string of outstanding performances in goal.
Wairoa’s man of the match was their goalkeeper, Ethan Macrae, who kept Athletic in the match with numerous fine saves.
Others to shine were Schirnack, Matt Webb, Eliki Ravosai, Hira Campbell, Luke Knight and Mike Hardie.
A 36th-minute goal from Damon Husband gave Heavy Equipment Services United a 1-0 lead at halftime in their game against Lytton High School at Harry Barker Reserve.
In the 36th minute, Aaron Graham made it two, and in the 70th, Matt McFatter made it 3-0, and that’s the way it stayed.
In Division 2, ShipWreck Bohemians stay top of the table following their goalless draw with Heavy Equipment United (2).
Riverina, 1-0 victors over Coates Associates Wainui Demons, are a point behind in second place, three points ahead of third-placed Thistle Vintage, who drew 0-0 with Boys’ High (2).
In Division 3, Heavy Equipment United (3) head the table after their 7-3 win against Smash Palace Shockers.
Three Rivers Medical Bohemians beat ITM Thistle 3-0 to stay on United’s tail, two goals behind on goal difference. Campion College beat Lytton High School (2) 4-2 to move into fourth place, behind Shockers.
Heavy Equipment United had the bye in the women’s competition but still head the table, on goal difference from Gisborne Laundry Services Riverina, who beat Gisborne Girls’ High School 8-2.
Campion College beat Tatapouri Marist Thistle 2-0 and Top 10 Holiday Park Bohemians beat Lytton High School 4-1.
Those results leave Girls’ High, Campion and Bohemians third, fourth and fifth, all on six points.