Early goal shocks GBHS coach

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

A goal conceded after 53 seconds had Gisborne Boys’ High School first 11 football coach Sebastian Itman fearing the worst.

But Gisborne recovered to beat Lindisfarne College 3-2 in an interschool game at Hastings on Friday.

“Their first goal, after 53 seconds, was a good finish,” Itman said.

“I thought we could be in trouble, but immediately after that our goalkeeper, Tom Talbot, saved in a one-on-one situation and that was the turning point. After that, we relaxed more.”

Boys’ High were adjusting to a new formation, which they were adding to their tactical arsenal, he said.

Coaches could change team formation during a game, and players had to adapt quickly to new roles.

One new role given out on Friday went to Alex Davies, who played as a lone striker in front of a midfield line of four, a defensive linkman and a back four.

“That was the first time he had played up front for us,” Itman said.

With the players Boys’ High had available for this game, striker was the role he needed Davies to play, he said.

Davies equalised for Boys’ High after 20 minutes, and central midfielder Cory Thomson put the Gisborne team ahead after 35.

Ten minutes into the second half, Davies scored his second — a one-on-one finish — to make it 3-1.

With 30 seconds to go, Lindisfarne pulled one back . . . 3-2.

Oli Davies, elder brother of Alex, was playing in right midfield for Lindisfarne. He is there on a football scholarship, playing for the school and for Havelock North Wanderers.

He played well but didn’t score, and Itman said he was pleased when he saw that Oli Davies was not playing up front for the opposition.

Goalkeeper Talbot was player of the day for Boys’ High. Others to shine for Gisborne were Alex Davies, Thomson, defensive midfielder Luke Stoltenberg, centrebacks Daniel Walters and Sam Ryan, rightback Ethan Cunningham and leftback Adam Situ.

Itman said Lindisfarne were a good side — well up to Super 8 standard — and showed good patterns of play.

With Eastern League competition not available, Boys’ High had arranged away games against other school teams of similar standard or better, to prepare for the big tournaments, Itman said.

This had been possible because of the help given by school senior teaching staff, coaches “and the entire PE department”.

He also praised the kindness of the staff and coaches of the schools they were visiting.

Lindisfarne head coach Henry Harland had ensured everything was laid on for the visit of Boys’ High. He also agreed to the game being played at a time that allowed for the Gisborne team to travel during daylight hours.

Most of the Lindisfarne starting players — including Oli Davies — were in the team Harland had just coached to victory in the Hawke’s Bay Futsal Senior Challenge Cup.

Itman said the next interschool match for Gisborne Boys’ High would be away to Rotorua Boys’ High School.