Gisborne Thistle wary of underdogs Levin

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

GISBORNE Thistle will be close to full strength when they play Levin in Central Federation League football at Childers Road Reserve tomorrow.

Last Saturday Thistle went to Manawatu without any of the three midfielders from the previous week's upset win against Palmerston North Marist in Gisborne.

Reflecting on the 2-0 loss to Massey University that followed, Waikanae Beach TOP10 Gisborne Thistle coach Garrett Blair said it would have been a different game if even one of the missing trio had been able to play.

Well, tomorrow he has two of them back in his run-on team. Skipper Nick Land will still be missing from the side. He had stayed home for a landmark family birthday and helped out the reserves by playing against Gisborne United in Eastern League Division 1. A first-half groin strain slowed him down and has ruled him out of tomorrow's game.

However, Jarom Brouwer and Cullen Spawforth will be back, Brouwer as an attacking midfielder and Spawforth in more of a holding role.

Alongside Spawforth will be Alex Davies. Davies had his Federation League starting debut last week, at rightback. Tomorrow he gets a start in the position where he's played most of his football for the reserves this season. Reserves player-coach Davie Ure rates Davies highly, and Ure has been in and around good football since he was a nipper. He can tell if a player's a good 'un.

Blair says Davies, still only 15, has earned a run in his favoured position.

Oli Davies, elder brother of Alex, is likely to start at leftback, where he was used to good effect against Palmerston North Marist.

Blair likes the solidity of a back five but also the potential for fast breaks from one of the central three or either of the fullbacks.

Brandon Josling looks set to start at rightback, with Ryan Anderson, Ander Batarrita and Gonzalo Brunelli filling the centreback roles. Against Palmerston North Marist, the extra centreback meant additional cover on defence and an extra man coming through into midfield on attack.

Jimmy Somerton and Alan Zarate will be up front, with Brouwer adding his zip and eye for goal as he arrives from deep. Oli Davies and Josling can also be expected to threaten down the wings.

Blair said he found Levin — now seventh in the league — to be a well-structured side with a solid defence, busy midfield and skilful players out wide. He was surprised to see some of the scores racked up against them. Thistle are fourth, 17 points ahead.

North End, Napier Marist and New Plymouth Rangers have shown that teams in the league's lower reaches can knock over top-five outfits. Thistle will have taken that on board. Kick-off is at 2pm.