Heroes grow on the grounds of cup finals

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FOOTBALL

CUP final grounds are the places where heroes grow . . . even in Gisborne lower-grade football.

The Poverty Bay Cup final between Heavy Equipment Services United (3) and ITM Thistle had heroes on both sides.

Regulation time ended with the score at 3-3, and United won the penalty shoot-out 8-7. The score alone gives some indication of the match drama.

United striker Jason Brooks scored two goals then went between the sticks (he has history as a well-performed keeper), scored with his spot-kick and made the penalty save that won the game. The keeper who made way for him for the shoot-out, Mark Turnbull, also scored with his penalty.

Spare a thought for Thistle centreback Gareth Hopkins. He scored a hat-trick from centreback — two of them were free-kicks from around 20 metres — and was still on the losing side.

Thistle were favourites. They beat United 7-1 in the Conference league early this season and lead the competition with a series of handsome wins.

They led 1-0 at halftime through one of Hopkins’s free-kicks.

United equalised through Zac Destounis. He and brother Zane both did their part in an outstanding United team effort.

Then Brooks, playing at striker, scored with a header from a right-wing cross and also with a lob from 10 metres.

Thistle fought back and were rewarded with two more from Hopkins, pushing forward from the back.

For United, Brooks and Mitchell Brouwer were dangerous up front, Chris Adams and Warren Muir were strong in central midfield, and Dylan Babbington swept brilliantly behind solid centreback William McClune.

Stephen Husband was looking sound at the back until injury forced him from the field, and skipper Dean Wrigley would have been to the fore, if only he hadn’t booked a holiday before he knew United were in the final. He has been outstanding all season.

Thistle were well served by Hopkins and skipper and centreback Pat Frain, leftback Dan Latu and midfielder and attacker Craig Fraser, who almost won the game in the final moments of normal time. He turned on the ball and shot, only to see it scrape the outside of the post.

Campion College won the Emerre & Hathaway Cup, beating Gisborne Boys’ High School (3) on penalties after normal time ended with the score 2-2.