Napier opened the scoring after 10 minutes, when a midfielder pounced on a half-clearance and from the edge of the penalty area curled the ball into the top-right corner of the goal.
Ten minutes later, Napier attacked down their left flank and the ball was cut back and into the goal by way of a United deflection.
From then on, United had the better of the game, Adams said.
In the 40th minute, left-flank midfielder Josh Harris jinked down the wing and crossed to striker Josh Adams, whose first-time left-foot shot flashed into the bottom-right corner from 10 metres.
Down 2-1 at halftime, United continued to press in the second half and equalised in the 60th minute. This time, Harris was just inside the Napier half when he put Josh Adams through. Adams’s first-time sidefoot strike went in at the near post.
Although they could not add to their tally, United looked to have done enough to earn a point for the draw. But in the 85th minute a long ball fell to a Napier striker, who went to ground in a challenge by United goalkeeper Jack Faulkner, and then sank the resulting penalty.
The referee judged other defenders could have got back to cover the keeper, so Faulkner was shown a yellow card, not the red he would have seen if he were last man.
Corey Adams said everyone played well after the 20-minute settling-in period.
Josh Adams continued his prolific goalscoring run and received the man-of-the-match award for his two goals.
He and Josh Harris had struck up a good partnership, Corey Adams said.
Central midfielders Dane Thompson and Kieran Venema continued to impress with their ball-winning ability in the middle of the park, and were forging a strong partnership.
Adams was also pleased to see Noy Paull performing well on the right flank after having a game off following a head knock in the first match.
Malcolm Marfell put in another standout shift at leftback, tackling well and getting up and down the wing in support of Harris.
Centrebacks Mal Scammell and Kieran Higham — once the team settled down after the first 20 minutes — also played well.
With 10 minutes to go, Matt Adams came on for Paull. Adams slotted in at rightback, Lucian Nickerson switched from right to leftback, and Marfell went to the right flank, where Paull had been.
Corey Adams was pleased the United players did not drop their heads when they went 2-0 down.
“Three mistakes cost us three goals,” he said.
“Now that they’ve experienced it, the guys don’t like the feeling of losing.
“Napier are a good side with youngsters keen to make the step up to their Central League team, and a few old heads like (midfielder) Chris McIvor to steady them. They’ll be among the top teams.”
United sit third, on goal difference, with six points, three behind frontrunners Port Hill United and Napier City Rovers Seconds.
On Saturday, United have their first home game of the season — against Napier Marist at Harry Barker Reserve.
Marist lost 2-0 to Taradale on Saturday and sit sixth in the 10-team league on four points, three more than eighth-placed Thistle, who play cellar-dwellers Havelock North Wanderers Seconds at Childers Road Reserve on Saturday.
But in the meantime, Thistle coach Garrett Blair has to get a team together to travel to Palmerston North to play North End in the preliminary round of the Chatham Cup on Wednesday (Anzac Day).
Thistle travelled with 12 players on Saturday, so Blair and manager Fletcher Stewart-Hill also had their names on the team card, just in case.
Olly Tilley and Ander Batarrita were carrying injuries against Eskview, a concern with the cup game so close.
Saturday’s match was “pretty even”, with chances for both sides, until Eskview scored 20 minutes from time, Blair said.
That spurred Thistle to renewed efforts, and they pressed until the end.
Man of the match was defender Liam Ryan, who was solid at the back and led by example.
The Petane Domain pitch was poor, but Thistle will want a better result on Wednesday, regardless of the conditions. With 12 players unavailable so far, it will be tough just fielding a team.
Other results: Maycenvale United 0 Hastings Western Rangers 1, Port Hill United 5 Havelock North Wanderers Seconds 0.
