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FOOTBALL
BATMAN and Robin will be reunited on Saturday, so Thistle Massive coach John Stirton can turn off the Bat-Signal.
Nic Somerton and Davy Ure are Stirton’s dynamic duo, together again to face Pacific Premiership leaders Napier City Rovers Seconds in a Federation Cup Round 1 tie at Childers Road Reserve on Saturday.
Stirton christened the pair Batman and Robin last season. But Thistle may need a whole team of superheroes to pull off what would be a huge upset.
Just down the road at Harry Barker Reserve, with the same kick-off time, 2pm, Heavy Equipment Services Gisborne United will play another Pacific Premiership side, Eskview, also in the Federation Cup.
While the Gisborne clubs both have teams in the premiership, they will field players taken primarily from their Eastern League Division 1 sides, even though both premiership teams have no game.
In Thistle’s case, Stirton’s side could be bolstered by first-team players who could not travel away for the club’s Chatham Cup match against North End in Palmerston North last month (Thistle lost 2-1).
Stirton’s team provided some replacements, who then became cup-tied, not only for the Chatham Cup but also for the Federation Cup.
That means Stirton will be without Emerson Araya and Shannon Dowsing, both of whom answered the first-team SOS call.
Injuries could possibly keep Kane Stirton and Dave Watson off the fieldOn top of that, Stirton considers as “marginal” the chances of midfielders Kane Stirton and Dave Watson being fit to play after they picked up injuries in the 1-1 draw with Wainui Sharks on Saturday. Fullback Daniel Contreras is probably out, injured, and sweeper Michael Rogers is unavailable.
Against that, he will have at his disposal first-team players Ure, Hector Araya and Chris Spurr, all of whom could not make the Palmerston North trip.
All three were Massive regulars last season. With his side’s injury problems, Stirton might also have to call on the likes of defenders Cole Devonport and Jake Robertson from the first-team squad.
United did not enter the Chatham Cup, so Eastern League player-coach Stu Cranswick did not have to offer reinforcements for an away tie.
He has almost a full-strength squad available and expects to put out a side much the same as the team who beat Gisborne Boys’ High School 4-1 at Harry Barker Reserve in the Eastern League on Saturday.
Cranswick intended to speak to first-team players to learn a bit more about Eskview — United earned a valuable away win, 4-2, against them on Saturday.
“We’ll take it as it comes,” Cranswick said.
“But we’ll try to start a little bit faster than we did at the weekend, otherwise we’ll get swamped.”
Boys’ High coach Richard Mulligan said his team started well against United and had chances to score.
But United grabbed two goals before the break and in the second half slowed play down and used their aerial dominance to close out the result.
Cranswick said his side were “rubbish” for the first 20 minutes but the goals settled them.
Big striker Aubrey Yates scored the first, in the 25th minute, from the edge of the penalty area. Then, 10 minutes later, Yates provided a through-ball to Cranswick, who finished into the bottom left corner from 15 metres.
Centreback Jonathan Purcell scored from right-wing corners in the 60th and 80th minutes, rising high to power home headers.
Pacy striker Jirah Wanoa scored for Boys’ High with a tidy finish late in the game, latching on to a ball from centreback Connor Pitman.
Hard-working striker Josh Blair had a shot that went just wide, and with luck the students could have closed up the score further.
Boys’ High’s man of the match was goalkeeper Seth Piper, who made a string of fine savesMulligan said Boys’ High’s man of the match was goalkeeper Seth Piper, who made a string of fine saves. Others to shine were Pitman, central midfielder Bradley Clark, and Blair and Wanoa.
“The whole team played well for the first half-hour.”
For United, goalkeeper Cody Keepa was outstanding, centrebacks Kim Perano and Purcell were solid, and Aaron Graham and skipper Craig Christophers controlled the midfield.
Cranswick said it was good to have Yates alongside him in attack: “He’s big and deceptively quick, and his ball control is good.”
Those players will likely form the spine of the team to play Eskview, with Matt McFatter at rightback and Daniel Torrie on the left, Jimmy Holden on the right flank and Damon Husband on the left, and David Glassford and Zane Destounis coming into the mix as the game progresses.
Cranswick said Holden seemed to be enjoying the freedom of a more forward role this season, and was certainly fit enough for the job.
In the Thistle-Wainui game, Somerton was closely marked, and Wainui were outstanding all over the park, but particularly at the back.
Keeper Andy Daubé kept his side in the game with a display that even Stirton raved about.
Matt Smith was majestic at the back, and if he slipped up John Hill the younger was there to sweep. Rightback Diego Pedrioli and leftback Patrick Murphy completed a defensive effort that only got better as the game progressed.
They were well supported by hard-working midfielders Mal Furlan, Greg Judd, Ronnie Potter and Sam Royston, with Jeff Allen breaking forward.
Striker Michael Smith was a man alone for much of the game but never gave the Thistle rearguard any peace. Damian Archdale, back from knee surgery, came on at halftime and scored the goal, in the 62nd minute, taking the ball five metres out, juggling it and volleying on the turn.
Another returning to first-team duty to good effect was Mike Ferguson, up from the Demons last season.
Stirton was pleased with his side’s first-half display, but it lacked a goal. When Wainui scored, Thistle got worried, and it was a relief when halftime substitute Max Mika hit a 20-metre scorcher from the left into the top far corner of the goal in the 75th minute.
Mika, leftback Stefan Faber and midfielders Jason Scott and Phill Gill shone for Thistle who, as holders, retained the Sandy Stirton Memorial Trophy.
In the other Division 1 game, Wairoa beat Lytton High School 2-0 in Wairoa, thanks to goals from Eliki Ravosai and Marek Schirnack.
• The Sharks-Lytton High School game at Wainui on Saturday will now be played at 12 midday, not 2.30pm.