His two centrebacks from last week — Brad Hill and first-team defender Ander Batarrita — can’t travel for this game.
Oska Smith, who set up Thistle’s only goal last Saturday, won’t be there. And neither will attacking midfielder/striker Travis White, who was sent off for being shown the yellow card twice for dissent.
Yesterday afternoon Stirton was wondering whether he could mine the resources of his father John’s Gizzy Bobcat Services Thistle team in the Eastern League second division . . . he suspected Thistle Youth would have their own problems fielding a team in Division 1.
But last night Craig Stirton learned he would have first-team squad members Maisey, Jerabek and Patterson.
Maisey has been used primarily as an attacking player but lately has impressed when asked to do a job in defence.
Jerabek plays leftback in the first team but his robust style of play could just as easily fit him for a central defensive or midfield role.
Patterson has generally played out wide, but his athleticism could also be used in midfield or through the middle up front.
Davie Ure will look after the team in Craig Stirton’s absence. They were going to talk over options for the use of their first-team reinforcements.
Last week’s striker, PJ Goodlett, came off injured, but he is expected to be in the squad tomorrow, along with midfielder Raydon Semmens, who has been injured.
Ure will likely play some part in the attack. He still finishes well, and he can also lay on the chances.
Cory Thomson and Reece Brew, central midfielders in last Saturday’s game against Napier Marist Premiers, are making the trip. So, too, are Levi Julies, Alex Shanks and Tom Talbot, rightback, leftback and goalkeeper respectively last week.
Julies has been used further forward, and this is likely to have been one of the options Stirton and Ure considered.
Gee Gaurav and Tim Hofman were second-half substitutes last week and will likely travel, but Daniel Venema — who did well at the back when he came on — is being kept fresh for the first team’s game in Napier on Sunday.
Shehab Altour, who put in a good shift for Thistle Youth up front and in midfield against Gisborne United Premiers last Saturday, is also likely to travel.
Western Rangers last played a Gisborne team in Heavy Equipment Services Gisborne United’s last Pacific Premiership match of the 2021 season.
United needed to win to clinch the title, but for 32 minutes bottom-placed Rangers, coached by Grant Hastings, held them scoreless. United eventually won 6-0 to secure the title, but Rangers looked the type of side who would be hard to beat if they got a goal up.
Another factor in the result tomorrow could be the fatigue felt by Thistle members of the Gisborne Boys’ High School football team, who will have played an interschool game in Rotorua today.
