Eastern Premiership football: Taradale sink Gisborne United

Gisborne United's Dane Thompson and Taradale goalkeeper Charlie Frewin contest a free kick in an Eastern Premiership football game at Harry Barker Reserve on Saturday. Taradale won 2-0. Photo / Paul Rickard

Gisborne United failed to capitalise on home advantage and a wealth of possession as they went down 2-0 to Taradale AFC in Eastern Premiership football on Saturday.

A double to Taradale striker Josh Jenkins at Harry Barker Reserve saw United drop to fifth on the table – seven points adrift of leaders Havelock North Wanderers, who beat Western Rangers 6-2.

The Heavy Equipment Services United side were the only one of the three Eastern Premiership teams from Gisborne in action.

Electrinet Gisborne Thistle, scheduled to play Napier Marist at Childers Road Reserve, were informed on Thursday that Marist had defaulted due to the number of their players involved in the Super 8 secondary school football tournament in Rotorua earlier in the week.

Thistle received a mandatory 3-0 victory and are third on the table on 25 points.

Bottom-of-the-table HSOB-Gisborne Boys’ High School, in the same situation as Napier Marist, defaulted their away game to Port Hill United.

Gisborne United went into the Taradale clash without Kieran Higham (holiday) Corey Adams (injury) and Campbell Hall (suspended), but were bolstered with the midweek signings of HSOB-Gisborne Boys’ High School players Jacob Adams and Matt Hills, who will be joining the squad fulltime next season.

United started strongly. Within the first two minutes, player-coach Josh Adams had one shot saved off the line and another fierce drive kept out by Taradale goalkeeper Charlie Frewin.

Twelve minutes later, Jenkins struck a thunderous free kick into the United wall – the ball rebounding off central defender Jonathan Purcell and straight into the arms of goalkeeper Andy McIntosh.

United piled on the pressure but Taradale opened the scoring against the run of play in the 24th minute when attacking midfielder Daryn Whyte passed to Jenkins, who buried a low shot to the left of a diving McIntosh.

United’s best chance came in injury time in the first half – Jacob Adams sending a brilliant cross into Sam Royston, whose half-volley attempt hit the crossbar.

Having had 75% of first-half possession, United could count themselves unlucky to be 1-0 down at the break.

The United faithful were in full voice as the second half got under way and in the first 10 minutes, Jenkins and Purcell went agonisingly close to scoring.

The visitors went 2-0 ahead in the 64th minute when United lost control of a short goalkick and Jenkins pounced – slotted the ball past McIntosh.

Two goals down but far from out, United launched a barrage of attacks, only to be repelled by a resilient Taradale defence led by captain Oskar Sherratt.

Taradale coach Matt Single and his squad were ecstatic. The dressing-room celebratory singing could be heard from the surrounding houses.

“We had slim pickings due to Super 8 but the lads we used stepped up and took their chances,” said Single, whose side have won their last six matches, including victories over Thistle and GBHS.

He gave his man-of-the-match honours to Jenkins.

United are on the road this weekend to play Havelock North while Thistle are also away to the second-placed Napier City Rovers Reserves, who lost 2-1 to now-fourth-placed Maycenvale on Saturday.