One game in, the outlook for Eastern League men’s football this year seems OK.
Eight teams in the first division, nine in the second, and promotion and relegation to take effect at season’s end — the ingredients are there for a modicum of tension and excitement.
In Division 1 on Saturday, Heavy Equipment Services Gisborne United Firsts beat Property Brokers Thistle Firsts 3-1.
Thistle Vintage and 1st Class Decorators Wainui Salty Dogs drew 4-4, Coates Associates Wainui Demons beat QRS Wairoa Athletic 10-2, and Sunshine Brewing Wainui Sharks beat Thistle Youth 1-0.
In Division 2, new chums High School Old Boys won their first competition game 8-0 against Smash Palace Shockers. Gizzy Bobcat Services Thistle beat HES United Thirds 5-1, Ngatapa Brandt Silkies beat HES United Seconds 2-1, and Neighborhood Pizzeria Wainui had the bye.
United’s Division 1 team are a combination of last year’s league-winning premiers and United Firsts. Some of their players left to form a new team — the HSOB side contesting the second division — and others are not available on an every-week basis.
So now United have one team in the first division and two in the second.
Wainui have three teams in Division 1 and one in Division 2, while Thistle have three in Division 1 and two in Division 2.
Wairoa make up the eighth team in Division 1, while Bohemians, Ngatapa, HSOB and Shockers complete Division 2.
United Firsts lost the services of a key player when midfielder Dane Thompson, last year’s prems skipper, suffered a broken leg in a pre-season match against Thistle last month.
United Firsts coach Josh Adams said Thompson would be out for six or seven weeks with the injury, and would be out for six or seven more weeks because he had booked an overseas trip before he was injured.
However, United have gained the services of holding midfielder Kieran Venema, back from a season with Thistle’s Federation League team, and 15-year-old central midfielder Matt Hills, an age-group representative alongside Jacob Adams, who turns out for his elder brother’s side on the right wing.
“Dad (Chris Adams) coached Matt at Mangapapa and he was a standout player then,” Josh Adams said.
“We’ve kept an eye on his development since then, and he was one of our best players on Saturday.”
Hills scored United’s first goal against Thistle, when he put away a rebound after Thistle ’keeper Hugo Lodewyk had made a good save from Josh Adams in the 35th minute.
United went two up five minutes into the second half when Hills intercepted a throw from the keeper and fed Josh Adams, who rounded a defender and the ’keeper and tapped the ball into the net.
Five minutes later, Josh Adams chased a big kick from United ’keeper Andy McIntosh. The Thistle ’keeper and a defender collided, and Adams ran the ball into the net.
Twenty minutes from the end, Thistle Firsts striker Lucian Nickerson ran on to Luca Ricard’s left-wing low cross and slid the ball in from six metres out.
For United, Kieran Higham and Jonathan Purcell formed a good partnership at the centre of the defence, Corey Adams, Hills and Aaron Graham kept things moving United’s way in midfield, and Jacob Adams caused Thistle problems down United’s right flank.
Thistle co-coach (with Kieran Ryan) Craig Stirton was pleased with his team’s performance, considering it was early in the season.
Leftback Alex Larkin, central midfielder Max Kume and ’keeper Lodewyk were outstanding, Stirton said.
Ander Batarrita and Liam Ryan were solid in defence, while Reece Brew and Noy Paull fought hard in central midfield.
Stirton said former Gisborne City striker Hayden Beale had returned to Gisborne and was interested in having a run.
Beale hadn’t played in a while, and had picked up injuries, but if he was willing and able to play, his experience would be invaluable.
In women’s Eastern League games on Sunday, Gisborne Laundry Services Wainui Riverina beat Gisborne Girls’ High School 5-0, and Campion College beat Tatapouri Marist Thistle 7-0.
In Division 1 at 2.30pm on Saturday, United Firsts play Wainui Sharks at Harry Barker Reseerve No.1, Wainui Demons play Thistle Firsts at Wainui, Thistle Youth play Wainui Salty Dogs on Childers Road Reserve No.1, and Wairoa Athletic play Thistle Vintage in Wairoa.
In Division 2 at 12.30pm, Bohemians play United Thirds on Nelson Park No.1, Ngatapa play Tumu Thistle at Patutahi, HSOB play United Seconds on CRR 2, and NP Wainui play GBS Thistle at Wainui.
In women’s games at 10.30am on Sunday, Campion play Wainui Riverina on HBR 1, and Bohemians play Marist Thistle on NP 1.