Home sweet home games at last for Thistle after string of away games

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

Two set-piece goals were the difference between Gisborne Thistle and Palmerston North United in Central Federation League football on Saturday.

Palmerston North United (PNU) beat ALH Gisborne Thistle 4-2 after the Jags had led 2-1 midway through the first half of their game at Memorial Park, Palmerston North.

The first goal of the game came 13 minutes in. One of the PNU big brigade rose high and free at the far post to head in a corner to put the home side 1-0 up.

Three minutes later, Thistle equalised. Frontrunner Jimmy Somerton, ranging wide on the left, received the ball just inside his own half. He made ground and played a one-two (wall pass) with central striker Campbell Hall, pushed the ball past a PNU centreback and drove it low and hard into the far corner of the goal.

In the 25th minute, Thistle went ahead. Somerton received the ball wide of the Palmerston North rightback, made his way infield and played the ball in to Hall, who ran in on goal and pushed the ball past the advancing keeper.

The Jags’ lead lasted three minutes. A chipped pass in behind the left side of the Thistle defence was met by the PNU right-winger, who cut the ball back from the byline for the left-winger to sidefoot home from five metres.

In the 35th minute, Palmerston North went ahead. Again it was from a corner, this time an inswinger that was headed in by one of the big centrebacks almost on the goal-line.

At halftime, coach Garrett Blair talked about the importance of marking at set pieces and the need to put pressure on the attackers so they had no free headers.

And one thing was clear — whoever scored next would likely have the impetus to go on and win the match.

Thistle started the second half brightly, but were caught on the break. The PNU left-winger latched on to a pass and drove in on goal. As he neared the goal area (six-yard box), he shot from an acute angle and the ball went in off the far post.

Blair said the fourth goal took the wind out of Thistle’s sails a bit.

Both teams made changes but PNU didn’t threaten the Jags’ goal much after their last strike, and Thistle didn’t use their possession as well as they could have.

Thistle lined up with Mitchell Stewart-Hill in goal; Sam Royston at rightback and Andre Baple on the left, with Finn McAuley and Ryan Noon as double centrebacks; Hugo Elwood as holding midfielder behind David Salmon and Cullen Spawforth; and Oska Smith at right wing, Somerton on the left and Hall down the middle.

In the second half, Daniel Venema came on for Baple, Cory Thomson came on for Spawforth, Davie Ure came on for Salmon and Alex Shanks came on for Royston but played wide on the right in a four-man midfield.

Thistle played three at the back as they pushed more players forward.

Blair said Hall was Thistle’s man of the match. He used his strength and size to hold the ball and link with the wide players up front.

Somerton showed his class with some penetrating runs and Stewart-Hill made some outstanding saves that marked him as one of the top keepers in the league.

Blair was also pleased with the contribution of Spawforth, who got through 60 minutes and combined well with Salmon in one of the best midfield displays the team had put on this season.

After a run of seven league games away from home, Blair is looking forward to a run of seven home games, starting on July 1 against Taradale. Thistle have a bye this weekend.

A deferred away game against Palmerston North United has been rescheduled for September 2, and Thistle will end their league campaign with a rescheduled home game against Napier City Rovers Reserves on September 9.