Gisborne United and Thistle each have five matches left in the season, and no room for slip-ups.
Thistle had injuries to key players in the lead-up to the match.
In one of the resulting changes, coach Garrett Blair brought in last week’s man of the match, Brad Reynolds, for striker Liam McMenamy, whose knee injury was still troubling him. McMenamy went to the bench.
Eskview came to Childers Road Reserve with only 11 players, along with their coach, Jimmy Calder.
It was a cold day with strong winds and heavy rain — not the most pleasant conditions for players or spectators.
Passes went astray in the wind and ball movement was slowed by surface water, but Thistle looked to have had the better of the game’s opening exchanges.
In the seventh minute, against the run of play, Eskview found some room on the left. A cross found captain Dan Vokes unmarked on the far post and he scored with a deft header.
Fifteen minutes later, Eskview should have doubled their lead. Reliable Thistle goalkeeper Mark Baple parried a shot and the ball fell to an unmarked Eskview player, who shot wide with the goal at his mercy.
Thistle played some good possession football and went close twice.
First, a high cross from rightback Max Mika was cleared by the Eskview defence only as far as Thistle midfielder Matt McVey, whose fierce drive went straight at the keeper. Two minutes later, Davie Ure’s thunderbolt struck the crossbar. It just wasn’t Thistle’s day.
In the 32nd minute, again against the run of play, Eskview doubled their lead when attacking midfielder Jett Hogg slotted the ball to the right side of the goal, leaving Baple no chance, and Eskview led 2-0 at halftime.
Blair impressed on his players the need to stay positive and keep up the pressure.
The players responded by applying ample pressure, but luck was not with them.
When hard-working striker Morgan McLelland put Eskview 3-0 up three minutes from time, it was like salt in the wound for Thistle.
And from the after-match celebrations and singing in the Eskview changing rooms, you would have thought they’d just won the league.
Match referee Chris Niven had some difficult decisions to make during a keenly contested match.
Blair said Thistle now needed some results to go their way if they were to catch Gisborne United.
Eskview had shown them how to grind out a win.
It was a disappointing result for his side, but they would fight back and keep the pressure on.
On Saturday, Thistle are at home to Maycenvale United, and Gisborne United travel to Hawke’s Bay to play Napier City Rovers Reserves.
