The pressure might have accounted for some of the misdirected and overhit passes that blighted Thistle’s attempts to mount a second comeback. Even so, the Jags had enough chances to have ended the game on even terms.
Despite intensely close marking, Thistle striker Jimmy Somerton scored twice. His season total in league games stands at 38.
Thistle were without goalkeeper Mark Baple, who trained on Thursday but reported on Friday his back was “no good” for Saturday.
The Jags’ chances took another hit in the 11th minute when midfielder David Salmon went off with a knee injury.
Replacements Alex Shanks (for Baple) and Carlos Guerra (for Salmon) did not let the team down, but Baple and Salmon are key players.
United fans got a lift with the return of Corey Adams following hamstring trouble dating back to May. He did not look out of place in the first-half midfield turmoil, but came off in the 50th minute.
Replacement Royston went to the right flank and Jacob Adams filled his elder brother’s role in central midfield.
United opened the scoring after 10 minutes, Aaron Graham’s glancing header from a corner going in at the near post.
Thistle equalised in the 27th, Guerra laying the ball off to Somerton, who pushed it past one player and let fly with a left-footed scorcher that hit the stanchion.
United regained the lead in the 33rd. Player-coach Josh Adams made an angled run and hit a blistering shot from 20 metres into the far corner.
A minute into first-half stoppage time, a corner was headed towards the near post where midfielder Matt Hills got the decisive touch for 3-1.
Thistle almost reduced the deficit in the 48th minute when United keeper Andy McIntosh made the first of several crucial second-half saves, tipping right-winger Sam Patterson’s curling effort past the post.
Two minutes later, Patterson scored from a rebound when McIntosh blocked Travis White’s close-range volley.
Somerton levelled it in the 64th, latching on to a half-clearance and rifling the ball into the far corner from 18m.
United struck back quickly. Campbell Hall broke free on the right and hit a belter Shanks did well to tip on to the crossbar. United kept pressing and when the ball came in from the left, Royston got a glancing touch in a crowded goalmouth to make it 4-3 in the 66th.
In the 76th, Josh Adams worked his way clear on the left and squared the ball to Royston, who went past a defender and scored at the near post from 7m out.
United’s win was built on the commitment of players to help teammates under pressure.
Jonathan Purcell, Kieran Higham and Dane Thompson took no unnecessary risks at the back and coped well with Somerton.
Malcolm Marfell did his bit, but seemed to have the whole of the left flank to cover.
Jacob Adams supported defensive efforts on the right while looking to break forward in support of Josh Adams and Hall.
Central midfielders Graham and Hills had their hands full with Thistle’s midfield core of Cory Thomson, who was inspirational, Salmon (and then Guerra) and White.
With Te Kani Wirepa-Hei on the left and Patterson right, the Jags outnumbered United in the midfield battleground,where Marfell’s box-to-box stamina came in handy.
Thistle had pace in their back four through Charlie Harvey, Kaden Manderson and Gavin Derr, and defensive nous in centreback Nick Land.
Manderson is a “find” alongside Land in the heart of the defence, his speed rivalling that of United’s strikers.
Referee Andy Parker, of Tikokino, kept control of a keenly contested game.
United player-coach Adams said it was a “good old classic derby” and he praised the fighting spirit of his side, while paying tribute to Thistle for making a game of it.
Thistle coach Tam Cramer said defensive errors, poor finishing and a few bad decisions cost his side.
“At 3-3 I thought only one team would win it, but we fell asleep,” he said. “Overall we played pretty well. We’ve had two decent games with them. I don’t think there was much between the teams.”
Other Eastern Premiership results: Maycenvale 4 Napier Marist 4, Western Rangers 2 Port Hill United 1, Havelock North Wanderers 1 Napier City Rovers Reserves 0.
