FOOTBALL
Four games from the finish, football’s Pacific Premiership looks like a two-team race . . . and both sides are from Gisborne.
Heavy Equipment Services Gisborne United lead the league with 29 points from 12 matches — nine wins, two draws and one loss.
Gisborne Vehicle Testing Thistle are one point behind with nine wins, one draw and two losses from their 12 games.
Third-placed Havelock North Wanderers Reserves have 25 points from 13 matches; Eskview are fourth, on 22 points from 11 matches; Taradale are fifth on 21 from 11; and Maycenvale are sixth on 18 from 12.
Any of the top five sides could still win the competition but, on form, Gisborne United and Thistle must be hot favourites to fill the top two places. Tomorrow both sides are in Gisborne.
United play Maycenvale (18pts) at Harry Barker Reserve. In the corresponding fixture last season, United thumped Maycenvale 4-1.
Thistle will play seventh-placed Port Hill (15pts) at Childers Road Reserve. Last season, Thistle won this fixture 1-0.
Gisborne United have close to a full squad available, but captain and defensive midfielder Kieran Venema is away this weekend.
Player-coach Corey Adams expects Maycenvale to be a physical side who could make things difficult for his team.
“Playing at home we are a very strong side,” Adams said.
“We need to keep the ball down and play our game — the goals will come.”
Gisborne United have a big six-week task ahead — four league matches, one Federation Cup home semifinal against Wanganui City and possibly a final.
United have the chance to win the trophies for the Pacific Premiership and Federation Cup, while retaining the Challenge Cup.
Gisborne Thistle will welcome striker Davie Ure and midfielder Max Logan back into their squad.
Coach Garrett Blair is still working on a starting line-up to do the best job against Port Hill — a tall and physical side.
Blair will stick with the tried and tested tactics that have worked all season for his team.
He said he was proud of his side’s progress and achievements throughout the season and was thankful for the progress of the club as a whole.
Many of the first team were young players who had no experience of the Pacific Premiership, so the pressure to perform was new to a lot of them.
“To still be in the running for the league title is a credit to their hard work since January,” Blair said.
Both Pacific Premiership matches in Gisborne tomorrow start at 2.30pm.