Even more than usual riding on derby

HOWZAT: The Jags’ Brandon Josling celebrates a goal against City Rovers Seconds. Picture by Paul Rickard

Gisborne Thistle have to beat Gisborne United by three goals tomorrow to win football's Pacific Premiership.

Unless, of course, they score five. Then a two-goal winning margin would suffice.

It's all to do with the relative goal-difference calculations of league leaders Port Hill, who have played all their games, and second-placed Thistle, whose last game is against third-placed United.

Gisborne Vehicle Testing Thistle cannot finish lower than second. United cannot do better than third. But that's not the point.

Heavy Equipment Services United pipped Thistle for the title last year. They'd love to foil them again. The game — at Childers Road Reserve — starts at 2.30pm.

Thistle coach Garrett Blair said a win alone was not enough. They had to clear the goal-difference deficit; maybe take more risks than usual. At the same time, they faced two of the league's fastest strikers.

One of them, Stu Cranswick, is likely to be playing his second game of the day. The Thistle Massive and United Eastern League teams are playing the curtain-raiser.

United coach Corey Adams, 26 next month, says his knee will be right next year, but United have the players now to win: “We want three points; they want three goals.”