Jags prepared for big challenge

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

GISBORNE Thistle are prepared for another big challenge when they take on Havelock North Wanderers in Central Federation League top-four football in Hawke’s Bay tomorrow.

Thistle are three points behind second-placed Havelock and six ahead of fourth-placed Port Hill United.

Coach Matt Hastings has set his side the target of climbing above Havelock in the three games of top-four play.

Team Taranaki are beyond everyone’s reach, 12 points clear at the top of the league.

“This game will be similar to last week’s,” Hastings said.

“I believe that, like Palmerston North Marist, Havelock will try to play through the middle.

“They are very quick there.

“We’ll look to defend deep and frustrate them.

“But we have to be ready to adapt to any situation, and I think we have the ability to do that.”

Havelock had dangerous players all over the park, he said.

In midfield, Kade Bartlett had experience and Ethan Dent had been an outstanding player coming up through the ranks.

Up front, Jared Bloor was “extremely quick”, while the two centrebacks both had the potential to play at a higher level.

Hastings said Ryan Majstrovic would be in goal again. Both Mark Baple and PJ Goodlett were out with injuries, and Majstrovic — while not busy — had made the most of his opportunity against Palmerston North Marist.

Otherwise, he expected the squad to be close to full strength.

The three midfielders would need to have “another massive game” if Thistle were to win this match.

He wanted to get the wide players involved a little more, but ideally they and the central striker would concentrate on scoring goals, so the idea was to keep them as far up the field as possible.