Dylan Du Ross (on the left, with United's Lucian Nickerson) says his kidney is getting better every week.
FOOTBALL
GISBORNE United conceded an own goal in the sixth minute of their game against Napier Marist and never had a chance to recover.
Or rather, every time they had a sniff of a recovery, Marist were all over them, nipping at their heels, flicking the ball away, scoring another goal.
Marist were 5-0 winners of this Pacific Premiership football match at Harry Barker Reserve on Saturday and, for the impartial observer, were a treat to watch.
In the other Pacific Premiership game in Gisborne, Thistle beat a disheartened Havelock North Wanderers Seconds 13-1 at Childers Road Reserve.
Havelock held their own in the first spell and were only a goal down at halftime. Two goals early in the second half broke their resistance.
Thistle striker Davie Ure rolled back the years, played with intensity and verve, and scored six goals.
Hector Araya grabbed a hat-trick, Jake Theron scored two, and Chris Spurr and Liam Ryan scored a goal each.
Heavy Equipment Services United must have wondered what had hit them when they went in 3-0 down at halftime.
Marist had scored a second goal, through striker Harry Mason, in the 17th minute. Mason completed his hat-trick with two well-taken goals in the second half and was a class act.
Left-flank midfielder Dylan Du Ross weaved his way into the United penalty area in the 19th minute and sidefooted the ball in from an acute angle to make it 3-0.
It would have been more, but for solid shot-stopping from keeper Jack FaulknerIt would have been more, but for solid shot-stopping from keeper Jack Faulkner.
United skipper and central midfielder Kieran Venema had a chance to reduce the deficit in the 37th minute when he held off two would-be tacklers before tumbling to the turf in the penalty area.
Referee Chris Niven awarded a penalty and Marist keeper Wilson McCullough held his ground to save Venema’s spot-kick low and relatively close to the body.
United had to do something, and bringing on Stu Cranswick up front for a defender, Lucian Nickerson, for the second half made sense.
Immediately Cranswick’s speed and aggression made an impact, and the whole United effort lifted a notch.
Striker Josh Adams, who toiled hard for little reward, made a run down the left and crossed dangerously, but no one could get on the end of it.
Then Marist’s Mason got clear just inside United’s half and was not about to be stopped. He coolly slotted the ball home from just inside the penalty area in the 50th minute for 4-0.
A minute later, United left-flank midfielder Josh Harris put pressure on the Marist defence and the ball fell to Cranswick 20 metres out. With the keeper on the edge of the box, Cranswick’s first-time shot whistled past the left upright.
In the 56th minute, Cranswick ran on to a bouncing ball down the right and his 20-metre volley hit the far post. Despite Marist’s dominance, United could easily have been just a goal behind at 4-3.
Thirty seconds later, Mason ran on to another long ball and lobbed the keeper . . . 5-0.
Marist coach Jamie Dunning was pleased at his side’s reaction to their 2-0 loss to Taradale the previous weekend.
He wasn’t happy with the effort against Taradale, but on Saturday they “gave everything” for each other.
“United are a very good side,” he said.
“Josh and Corey Adams, Kieran Venema in the middle . . . to do what we did today shows we are a good side, too.”
Having skipper Tai Barham back in the side, attacking from deep, was a big bonus, Dunning said.
His composure and astute play were steadying influences on the side.
Dunning was also pleased with Mason’s finishing for his hat-trick, and said McCullough — although he was not busy — made a crucial save from the penalty.
Others to shine in a stellar team performance were Du Ross, centreback Jonty Underhill, who was safe and decisive, and central midfielder Mitchell Dick, whose play had a steely edge.
United player-coach Corey Adams said Marist were the best team they had come across so far this year.
'We were outplayed'“We were outplayed,” he said.
He was worried about the goals United were conceding on the break, and the possession they were losing too easily in other parts of the pitch.
They could work on these issues in training, but they might also have to get more players in the midfield.
On Saturday, a strength of the Marist side was the urgency with which they put pressure on United’s ball, through speed and weight of numbers.
Adams said Harris, who came off in the second half, had been ill all week and was vomiting at halftime.
Next up, United are away to Eskview; Thistle are away to Port Hill United.
Thistle coach Garrett Blair said Havelock were “probably on top in the first half” of their game on Saturday.
Thistle opened the scoring in the fifth minute, Havelock equalised in the 12th and the Jags went ahead again in the 41st.
At halftime, Blair told his players to keep it simple and regain their composure.
In the second half, Thistle scored in the fourth, fifth, 12th, 16th, 17th, 19th, 21st, 23rd, 30th, 42nd and 46th minutes.
Ure, with his goals, off-the-ball running and intensity, and Ryan, anchoring the defence, were outstandingBlair said that Ure, with his goals, off-the-ball running and intensity, and Ryan, anchoring the defence, were outstanding.
Nicky Land and Ander Batarrita were effective in central midfield, defenders Max Mika and Dan Venema in the fullback roles and Cole Devonport and Ryan in the middle were steady, and substitutes Jake Robertson, Spurr and Theron all added to the Thistle effort.
Havelock coach Christian Jirkowsky said the club had set out to have a young team in this competition. The oldest player was 21, the second-oldest, 18, and the rest were from 15 to 17.
“They played really well in the first half,” he said.
“Maybe a little bit of inexperience and frustration came into it. Being two more goals down five minutes into the second half was something they couldn’t cope with . . . they gave up.”
The referee was Gordon Harris of Hawke’s Bay.