Hat-trick for Adams in nerve-jangling win

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

FOOTBALL

A JOSH Adams first-half hat-trick set up Gisborne United for a nerve-jangling 5-4 victory over Taradale in Pacific Premiership football in Hawke’s Bay on Saturday.

Heavy Equipment Services United led 4-1 at halftime, Taradale fought back to 4-3, United scored again to make it 5-3 and Taradale scored with 10 minutes to go to give United a tense finish.

Adams scored his first goal five minutes in, running on to a through-ball, faking to shoot with his left before pulling the ball on to his right and placing it past the goalkeeper.

Five minutes later, he scored again, curling in a left-footed shot from the right-side corner of the penalty area, 17 metres from the goal-line.

In the 15th minute, Taradale scored with a 30-metre “screamer” into the top-left corner.

In the 20th, midfielder Martin Garnier scored his maiden first-team goal, running from the right flank on to a through-ball and sidefooting his shot in at the far post from 15 metres out.

In the 30th, Adams ran on to a through-ball and chipped the keeper from 20 metres for his third goal.

Taradale scored in the 55th and 65th minutes, before United skipper Kieran Venema restored a two-goal cushion by scoring from the penalty spot in the 75th, after player-coach Corey Adams was fouled in the penalty area.

Corey Adams said Taradale had a lot of big men, which made them dangerous in the air. Ten minutes from time, Taradale scored with a header at the far post from a left-wing cross in open play.

“We went to sleep in the second half,” he said.

United’s best on the day were man of the match Josh Adams and centreback Kieran Higham, who impressed before he had to leave the field with a shoulder injury just after halftime.

Regular keeper Jack Faulkner injured his knee early in the week, so United took away teenager Campbell Hall, who did well considering he had never played in goal before, Adams said.

Napier City Rovers Seconds had won the league by beating Eskview, but United wanted to clinch second place and retain the Challenge Cup by beating Port Hill United in their last game of the season, at Harry Barker Reserve on Saturday.