Gisborne out of Federation Cup

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

GISBORNE United’s Central Federation Cup dreams are over for another year after they lost 5-2 to Palmerston North Marist Reserves at Napier on Saturday.

“They were the better side and deserved to win,” said Heavy Equipment Services United player-coach Stu Cranswick, who scored both his side’s goals.

“We’re disappointed to lose but it won’t stop us entering again next season. Marist play in the Central Federation League and are used to travelling. Our guys don’t mind doing it on the odd occasion — for a cup game — but otherwise we’re happy to concentrate on playing in the local competition (Eastern League).

“I think one thing that did catch up with us at the weekend was not having played in the past three weeks. Games were rained off and we had a bye.

“It took us a while to get used to the faster pace, and they scored two goals in the first 10 minutes. They got another just before halftime but the boys fought back in the second half.”

Striker Cranswick led the comeback with a goal to reduce the deficit to two midway through the last 45 minutes.

“The thing was they scored almost immediately after we scored. If we’d been able to hold on and maybe grabbed another goal it could have been closer, but they finished us off with a late goal.”

Cranswick said Marist were a good team with “two very fast strikers and two big centrebacks”.

“The two centrebacks were comfortable on the ball. They weren’t content just to get the ball away. They’d bring it down on their chests, and every ball was to feet after that.”

Cranswick, who singled out centreback and captain Jonathan Purcell and midfielder Craig Christopers as outstanding, said the focus would now be on catching Thistle Massive in the race for the Eastern League title.

Massive lead the competition with 34 points from 13 games, with three to go. United are second on 30 points from 12 games, with four to go.