Derby has drama to the end

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

FROM first minute to last, the derby between United and Thistle held spectators captive.

United skipper Kieran Venema scored from a last-minute penalty to give his side a 2-1 victory in Pacific Premiership football at Harry Barker Reserve on Saturday.

The win put United into clear second place, although Napier Marist can go past them on goal difference with their game in hand.

United had their first two scoring chances within five minutes of the start on Saturday, and the action never let up.

Both teams were “up” for this game, and the pace was frenetic. Time on the ball was short and interceptions were frequent as players tuned in to danger before it developed.

Heroes sprang into being all over the park. For United, they were mainly in midfield; for Thistle, mainly in defence.

Everyone contributed. Of necessity, some contributed more than others.

United player-coach Corey Adams reckoned that if not for Thistle goalkeeper Mark Baple, Heavy Equipment Services United could have scored five or six.

Adams unleashed a twin strikeforce of younger brother Josh and Eastern League team player-coach Stu Cranswick.

That’s a duo that would trouble any defence in the league.

Thistle’s rearguard rose to the challengeThistle’s rearguard rose to the challenge.

Centrebacks Liam Ryan and Chris Spurr brought their considerable experience and fighting spirit to bear, and all but held out a United side who became increasingly dominant as the second half progressed.

Jags rightback Max Mika impressed with his ball-winning ability and distribution, while leftback Daniel Venema nipped many dangerous attacks in the bud with his shrewd reading of the play.

In the first half, Thistle played some slick football through the midfield, and when play broke down and United counter-attacked, defensive midfielders Olly Tilley and Brad Reynolds dropped back to help their back four. Nicky Land played the box-to-box role, mainly on the left, and Davie Ure beavered away in the old inside-forward position, linking midfield and attack.

Up front, Jake Theron and Hector Araya didn’t see as much of the ball as their United counterparts did, but they chased and harried, looking for an opening.

Although Thistle had a crisp passing game, their attacks often broke down on the outskirts of United’s defensive third.

Defensive midfielder Aaron Graham was outstanding for United in cutting out the danger early.

Graham’s positional play was spot-onGraham’s positional play was spot-on, his passing was seldom astray, and his potential for long-range shooting meant he could never be discounted as a threat.

In front of Graham, Dane Thompson and Corey Adams offered complementary styles. Thompson, too, has a fierce long-range shot, and also the ability to set frontrunners away with a canny pass.

Corey Adams is no slouch as a striker but, with the responsibility of the player-coaching role, he has opted to fetch and carry for younger brother Josh and come through from midfield in support.

He has developed into an industrious midfielder with a scoring touch, and he caused problems for Thistle whenever he ran at them with the ball at feet.

If Thistle got by that midfield traffic jam, they came up against a fast, committed defence, led by United skipper and centreback Kieran Venema and rightback Kieran Higham.

Venema personified solidity in the middle, while Higham’s speed, anticipation and sound tackling technique were key elements of his outstanding performance. Right-flank midfielder Martin Garnier worked well with Higham and threatened on attack.

Centreback Mal Scammell was often first man in while the more experienced Venema offered cover.

At leftback, Malcolm Marfell operated more like a wingback for much of the game, causing Thistle problems with his forward runs.

The beneficiary of this relative stability at the back was goalkeeper Jack Faulkner, who had few saves to make but was out sharply to deal with danger when it arose.

He could do little to stop Thistle’s goal in the 20th minute, though.

A right-wing corner was met beyond the far post by Jags defensive midfielder Tilley, who rose high to head powerfully into the net from five metres.

The chances up to this point had fallen mainly to United. They included one passage of play in the 15th minute when Thistle cleared from a goalmouth scramble, only to come under intense pressure again 30 seconds later, Ryan’s attempted clearance cannoning off the crossbar before the danger from the follow-up pass and shot was defused.

Thistle’s goal spurred on United, and the pressure was a factor in the tackling infringements that prompted Hawke’s Bay referee Andy Parker to show the yellow card to Reynolds in the 25th minute and Spurr in the 35th.

Five Thistle players were shown the yellow cardAll five of the players to be shown the yellow card belonged to Thistle. Baple, Tilley and replacement leftback Pablo Silva were all cautioned in a hectic second half as United applied pressure and the Jags felt the pace.

As halftime approached, a United goal seemed inevitable. In the 40th minute, Cranswick headed over from close range under pressure from Baple. Two minutes later, Baple saved from Corey Adams and defenders blocked two follow-up shots. In the 43rd minute, Cranswick received the ball in the penalty area and the defence stood off long enough for him to get his shot in to level the score.

The second half became a procession of United chances, beginning with Thompson’s run down the left and cutback to Garnier, who shot high from 12 metres out in the 47th minute.

More chances came United’s way in the 50th, 52nd, 58th, 60th, 72nd, 80th, 82nd and 89th minutes.

During this period, Thistle had a solitary — but dangerous — break in the 70th minute. United scrambled clear.

In the 67th minute, Thistle’s Reynolds and Daniel Venema came off for Sam Patterson and Silva respectively.

Patterson played with pace and energy up front, while Theron dropped back into midfield, where he revelled in the busier role and did some important backtracking when Thistle needed it most.

Jags coach Garrett Blair said his side absorbed the pressure well.

“To lose on a penalty is always difficult, but that’s football,” he said.

“I think the biggest thing we lacked today was an out-and-out finisher.”

United player-coach Adams was delighted with his side’s performance.

“Everyone stood up, and we deserved to win,” he said.

“But Thistle defended well, and hats off to Mark Baple; he was on fire today.”

Also important to United was their retention of the Challenge Cup they won in May. It will go on the line again in the last game of their season, home against Port Hill United on August 25.

Adams said it would be like a cup final. If they were still holders at the end of the season, the club’s name would be engraved on the cup and they would start next season as holders.

Other Pacific Premiership results: Maycenvale United 6 Havelock North Wanderers Seconds 3, Taradale 2 Port Hill United 2.