Playing into a strong head wind, United found it hard to play their usual passing game.
But 10 minutes after Eskview scored, United drew level. The referee ruled an Eskview player had handled the ball in his penalty area, and Venema calmly converted the spot kick.
Ten minutes before halftime, the ball fell to United attacking midfielder Josh Harris in a goalmouth scramble and he smashed it into the goal to make it 2-1.
After the break the wind dropped, but United kept the ball and created chances. They just could not convert them.
With 15 minutes to go, the referee awarded Eskview a penalty for a Dane Thompson tackle. Jack Faulkner brilliantly saved the spot kick and the follow-up. However, the referee ruled that Kieran Higham was inside the box when the kick was taken, and ordered it to be retaken.
Again, Faulkner went the right way but could not get a glove on the ball and the teams were level at 2-2.
The last quarter-hour was a time of frayed nerves for the United players and the 20 supporters who made the trip to watch them. Within five minutes of each other, Kieran Higham and Malachi Scammell were given 10 minutes in the sin-bin for dissent. United were down to 10 men, then — for five minutes — nine. Higham rejoined the fray with five minutes to play.
Time was up when United were awarded a free-kick just inside the Eskview half. Scammell came back on and the Eskview penalty area was crowded with United players looking for a winner.
Venema belted the free-kick into the goalmouth where the ball beat everyone and ended up in the net.
United were euphoric, but they had still to hear the final whistle. Then, straight from the kick-off, the referee blew for fulltime.
Player-coach Corey Adams was proud of his players.
“The boys have shown huge heart all year, not only for themselves but for the United club as a whole,” he said.
“They make my job (as coach) so easy.”
He said the team wanted to thank Molly and Chris Adams for their work behind the scenes, and also the club’s sponsors.
Corey Adams said Thistle coach Garrett Blair should be proud of his side.
“They took us right down to the wire in the title race,” Adams said.
“For us to win it with (virtually) the final kick of the season is testament to how well Thistle have played.”
Last season — their first in the Premiership — United finished second.
This Saturday they will play a Federation Cup semifinal against Wanganui City at Harry Barker Reserve. Kick-off is at 2.30pm.
Gisborne Vehicle Testing Thistle played their part in making this season one to remember.
By beating Napier Marist Reserves 5-0, Thistle did what needed to be done to keep United on edge.
Coach Garrett Blair was pleased with his team’s performance, as they controlled possession, scored five goals and kept a clean sheet.
Thistle had a relatively quiet first half, scoring on 32 minutes when right midfielder Sam Patterson sent in a beautiful cross that striker Sean Morrison headed into the right side of the goal.
Thistle came out firing in the second half and were rewarded when Patterson’s cross-cum-shot went into the top left corner.
Attacking midfielder Davie Ure then piled on the misery for Marist, with a second-half hat-trick.
His first and third goals came from the penalty spot and his second came after some fabulous team movement. The final pass was delivered by substitute Liam McMenamy, and Ure neatly placed the ball into the bottom left corner of the goal.
“It was a comprehensive win for us today, and we went very close to the title,” Blair said.
“We will retain the core of the squad, but for now we will sit down, evaluate the season and start thinking about 2020.”
