FOOTBALL
The gang’s all here.
That’s what it seems like going through the results of the first week of post-lockdown local football.
The two “heavyweights” of the past decade in Eastern League 1 — Carpet Court Thistle Massive and Heavy Equipment Services (HES) Gisborne United — won their games by three goals and two goals respectively.
But the most impressive victory came from last year’s Bailey Cup upset winners, Gisborne Boys’ High School.
They beat United in the 2019 cup final, and on Saturday they beat Lytton High School 8-2 on the Rectory field.
At halftime the score was 2-1 to Boys’ High and shortly after the restart, Lytton equalised, then almost went ahead.
“Our goalkeeper, Regan Cameron, made an awesome save,” Boys’ High coach Sebastian Itman Bocchi said.
Reacting to a strong volley from a Lytton striker, Cameron dived from right to left and palmed away the ball with his top hand.
It was the turning point of the game.
Boys’ High scored six more goals for a scoreline that did not reflect how hard they had to work to gain the ascendancy.
Itman Bocchi gave the player-of-the-day award to team co-captain Cameron, who he said made four good saves in key moments.
Johannes Wolf, an international student from Germany, and Alex Davies took turns playing the defensive role in central midfield, and that gave Boys’ High a good base from which to launch their attacks.
The goals came from striker Oli Davies (elder brother of Alex), centreback and co-captain Adam Simpson from the penalty spot, left midfielder Jimmy Somerton (who scored the third and eighth goals), midfielder Tommy Peterson, striker Ethan Thompson-Sheridan, right midfielder Matt McNeil and “impact” midfielder Levi Julies.
Itman Bocchi said his players missed a lot of goalscoring chances in the first half, and then continued a pattern of conceding a goal early in the second.
He had tried every approach he could think of to overcome this tendency, and he was still trying, but at least a goal to the opposition usually sparked a rapid response.
On Saturday, the second-half finishing was a huge improvement on that of the first.
Thistle Massive beat clubmates Thistle Reserves 6-3 at Childers Road Reserve, with two goals each to right midfielder Kane Stirton (one a penalty), striker Nic Somerton and holding midfielder Josh Blair.
Massive led 4-2 at halftime and, although the Reserves threatened to close the gap at times, the defending league champions gradually drew away.
Winning coach John Stirton said it was a satisfying team effort.
Raymond Rickard was looking good in goal, skipper Chris Spurr was safe sweeping behind centreback Michael Rogers, and rightback Stefan Faber and leftback Daniel Contreras completed a solid defence.
Matt Smith was having a new lease of life on the left flank, and Matt Feisst put in a good shift on the right wing.
Blair was an exciting addition to the side and was settling in well.
Stirton said the Reserves had plenty of talented young players who would get better the more they played together.
A new-look Sunshine Brewing Wainui Sharks side tried hard but couldn’t get enough of the ball to make a dent in United’s record at Harry Barker Reserve.
Matt Pierard Jr had an outstanding game as the Sharks’ keeper, but United’s two quick goals in the second half and a well-taken fourth kept Wainui on the back foot. Jake Theron scored both Wainui goals (one a penalty) and, as man of the match, was given the strip to wash.
The season is still young, and teams face interesting challenges this weekend.
The Thistle Reserves-United Eastern League 1 clash at 12.30pm will be a fitting curtain-raiser for the Pacific Premiership match between Gisborne Vehicle Testing Thistle and HES Gisborne United on the No.1 ground at Childers Road Reserve.
In 2.30pm games, Eastern League 1 leaders Boys’ High and Thistle Massive will contest top spot on the Rectory field, while both Lytton High School and Wainui Sharks will fancy their chances of getting off the mark at Lytton’s ground.
Other results from the weekend —
Eastern League 2: Coates Associates Wainui Demons 5 Gisborne Pro Roofing Bohemians 2, Tatapouri Bohemians 3 Thistle Vintage 3, Campion College 1 Wainui Sports Club 5, ITM Thistle 1 HES Gisborne United (3) 4, Smash Palace Shockers 4 Wairoa Athletic 2.
Women’s Eastern League: Gisborne Laundry Services Riverina 7 Gisborne Girls’ High School 2, Campion College2 Tatapouri Marist Thistle 0, HES Gisborne United 4 Bohemians 0.