Gisborne United back on track, but Thistle lose again in Eastern Premiership football

Gisborne United player-coach Josh Adams, pictured playing against Napier Marist, found the back of the net twice in his side's 3-0 defeat of Napier City Rovers Reserves in an Eastern Premiership game in Gisborne on Saturday. Photo / Paul Rickard

Gisborne United returned to winning ways but Gisborne Thistle’s losing rut continued in Eastern Premiership football games in the city on Saturday.

HSOB-Gisborne Boys’ High Prems’ search for their first point continues, although they fought hard in a 4-1 loss to Napier Marist in Napier.

In a weekend of top-of-the-table battles in week 11 of the competition, Heavy Equipment Services Gisborne United beat Napier City Rovers (NCR) Reserves 3-0 at Harry Barker Reserve and are just two points behind new league leaders Havelock North Wanderers, who defeated Thistle 3-1 at Childers Rd Reserve.

Wanderers have 24 points and are first on goal differential from NCR, with United third on 22 points.

Thistle’s third loss in a row dropped them to fifth on 19 points. Maycenvale, who beat Western Rangers 3-0, are fourth on 21.

United were up for the battle against the Shane McKenzie-coached NCR Reserves.

However, the home side were once again without deadly striker Corey Adams, who is hoping to back within two weeks, while Kieran Higham, despite still carrying a niggle, sat on the bench just in case he was needed.

United speedster Campbell Hall had chances in the opening 25 minutes, producing a couple of excellent saves from NCR keeper Liam Doran.

The second of those resulted in a corner. Malcolm Marfell floated it in and centre back Jonathan Purcell timed his effort perfectly to power the ball into the back of the net.

United captain Dane Thompson went agonisingly close with a header from a free kick whipped in by Campbell five minutes into the second half.

United continued to press for another goal as their fans became restless and it finally came in the 65th minute.

A superb combination between Stuart Cranswick and United player-coach Josh Adams saw the latter smash in a bullet of a header, leaving Doran no chance.

Ever-reliable Adams put the result beyond doubt in the 72nd minute after Thompson was brought down in the box and referee Chris Niven pointed to the spot.

Adams sent Doran the wrong way to bring up his 10th goal of the season.

Rovers coach McKenzie was gutted to lose but happy his side made a game of it.

“After we conceded the third goal, that killed the game off and United deserved their win.”

He gave his team’s player of the day honour to defender Brett McBride.

Josh Adams was ecstatic with his team’s performance.

“We set up well defensively and didn’t give them a sniff through the middle.”

His player of the day was Sam Royston, who he said worked hard for the whole match.

It’s all going wrong for coach Tam Crarer and his Electrinet Gisborne Thistle side - just one point in their past four games and dropping from first to fifth on the table.

Saturday’s game pitted second-placed Havelock North Wanderers (HNW) against third-placed Thistle in front of a boisterous local crowd.

HNW’s Archie Absolom shot wide of the right post in a one-on-on with Thistle goalkeeper Mark Baple after eight minutes.

Thistle goal-scoring machine Jimmy Somerton hit the crossbar in the 12th and left post in the 16th after rounding keeper Oscar Field.

In the 21st, Brandon Brookland had a great chance to put HNW in front, only for Baple to save superbly with his leg.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 28th when HNW captain Tomas Suarez Rodriguez’s superb cross found Absolom, who smashed the ball into the top right corner.

In the 38th minute, a tackle by HNW Emilio Wathey resulted in a caution by referee Chris Niven - a decision coach Cramer verbally disagreed with and led to him being shown a yellow card.

As the end of the half drew near, a last-gasp attack by HNW saw Mason Cook brought down in the box and a penalty awarded.

Kenny Willox’s low, hard shot was brilliantly saved by Baple. The ball rebounded to Sam Wait, whose fierce drive was again saved by Baple, but the ball fell to Wathey, who buried it into the bottom right of the goal.

Two minutes into the second half, Somerton finally gave the home crowd something to cheer about.

Nicky Land provided a peach of a pass, Somerton beat the offside trap and dispatched the ball into the bottom left of the goal, leaving Field lying in agony on the ground.

He went off and it was later found out he had suffered a broken leg.

Coach Shane Medland was a surprise replacement in goal, but stepped up to make a superb save to deny Somerton a second goal after he again beat the offside trap.

HNW went 3-1 up in the 52nd minute. Wait crossed to Jaz Reeves, who controlled the ball with his chest, swivelled and spanked it into bottom left of the goal, giving Baple no chance.

Cramer was disappointed but said Travis White gave a spirited performance and while Baple was his Thistle player of the day, as many others would agree.

Medland was ecstatic with the effort of his entire team and he could not separate Wathey and Guy Bayly as their best.

HSOB-Gisborne Boys’ High trailed only 1-0 at halftime against Napier Marist and, after the home side went 2-0 up, closed the gap with a 60th-minute goal to Gavin Derr.

Napier Marist, however, scored in the 65th and 70th minutes.

Both teams were reduced to 10 men when Marist’s Adam McFarlane and HSOB-GBHS captain Matt Hills were red-carded in the 73rd minute.

This Saturday, Gisborne United are away to Maycenvale while Thistle play HSOB-GBHS in Gisborne.