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FOOTBALL
A DRAW between Gisborne Championship football big guns United and Thistle Massive has left Wainui Demons alone at the top of the table.
Coates Associates Wainui Demons beat Lytton High School 4-2 at Lytton to give them maximum points after two rounds of the six-team Division 1 competition.
Gisborne Boys’ High School and Sunshine Brewery Wainui Sharks drew 2-2 at the Rectory ground, and they have a point each.
On four points each are Heavy Equipment Services United and Carpet Court Thistle Massive, whose 2-2 draw was an exciting curtain-raiser to the Pacific Premiership match at Harry Barker Reserve on Saturday.
Thistle got a two-goal start, through striker Nic Somerton after 15 minutes and left midfielder Matt Smith 10 minutes later.
Somerton ran on to a through-ball from midfield and slotted it home efficiently.
Smith’s goal followed a weaving run, a shot and a follow-up.
Thistle were sitting pretty, but not for long. United player-coach Stu Cranswick and the defender marking him, Shannon Dowsing, clashed in a contest for possession just before halftime. The ball broke to another United player and Cranswick accelerated into the Thistle penalty area, where he received the pass and hammered the ball into the net.
In the 50th minute, Aaron Graham equalised, and Thistle coach John Stirton’s once-a-week trainers were under pressure.
This was the period of play that earned goalkeeper Raymond Rickard his Thistle man-of-the-match award, and sweeper Chris Spurr wasn’t far behind.
“Chris did a great job running the defence,” Stirton said.
“He seemed to be always in the right place.
“And Phill Gill had a very good game in the middle of midfield.
“Everyone did their bit, and the result keeps us in the hunt.”
United goalkeeper Al Knight was outstanding and pulled off two terrific savesStirton said United goalkeeper Al Knight was outstanding and pulled off two terrific saves in quick succession.
Somerton had broken through and was one on one with the keeper.
“He belted it and the ball came back off the keeper. Nic hit the rebound, and the keeper saved again . . . two really good saves.”
Boys’ High led 1-0 at halftime in their game against the Sharks, courtesy of an early goal by striker Oscar Ruston, who made a diagonal run to get on the end of a through-ball from midfield, then finished with his favoured left foot.
Fifteen minutes into the second half, Wainui midfielder-cum-striker Korbi Schallinger blasted in the equaliser off the post, and striker Ricky Boyd scored an opportunist goal to put the Sharks in front.
It looked as if Boys’ High would be denied a share of the spoils until three minutes from the end.
Centreback Ollie Aldridge took a free-kick 25 metres from goal, well towards the right touchline, and curled it into the top far corner of the goal with his left foot.
Apart from their goals, Aldridge and Ruston also impressed in general play.
Other Boys’ High players to shine were goalkeeper Regan Cameron, central midfielders Noah Collier and Adam Simpson and rightback Paul Stewart.
Stewart and Collier are recent recruits from the second team, and Collier usually plays at centreback.
Simpson usually plays at leftback but was given a midfield role on Saturday.
For Wainui, midfielder John Hill, Schallinger, right midfielder Barry McCarthy, rightback Warren Stubbs and keeper Leroy Shaw were outstanding.
Wainui Demons were well served by Jake Theron in their 4-2 win against Lytton. He scored one goal and set up another.
Sonny Brady and Travis White scored for Lytton, whose best players were midfielder Mat Hatten, who did the basics well and put pressure on his opponents till the end, and Merlin Parsons, for his work-rate and positive attitude.
In Division 2, ShipWreck Bohemians lead the competition, but Wairoa Athletic and Thistle Vintage are only three points behind, having played a game less.
On Saturday, Vintage beat Riverina 1-0 and Bohemians beat GBHS (2) 6-0.
In the Conference, ITM Thistle are four points clear of second-placed Heavy Equipment Services United (3), with Three Rivers Medical Bohemians four points further back and Smash Palace Shockers three behind them.
On Saturday, Thistle beat Shockers 4-2, Bohemians beat Lytton High School (2) 8-1 and United beat Campion College 14-1.
The women’s competition is a race between Heavy Equipment Services United and Gisborne Laundry Services Riverina. United have 31 points and GLS Riverina have 28. Both teams have played 11 games.
On Sunday, GLS Riverina had the bye, but the other Riverina team lost 4-2 to Gisborne Girls’ High School. United beat Tatapouri Marist Thistle 12-0, and Top 10 Holiday Park Bohemians and Campion College drew 1-1.