FOOTBALL
GISBORNE teams Thistle and United are playing away from home in Pacific Premiership football tomorrow, and both could move up the table.
Third-placed Thistle play second-placed Napier City Rovers Reserves at Park Island, Napier, and fourth-placed United play fifth-placed Taradale at Taradale.
Both Gisborne Vehicle Testing Thistle and Heavy Equipment Services Gisborne United have a game in hand on the teams above — Port Hill and Napier City Rovers Reserves.
Port Hill are three points ahead of the Gisborne teams; City Rovers Reserves are one point ahead.
Thistle coach Garrett Blair said City Rovers would be tough.
“We know they typically play fast, high-tempo football so our aim will be to slow them down and frustrate them,” Blair said.
“In the past they’ve played 4-3-3 (four at the back, three in midfield and three up front) and been quite narrow, so we will look to stretch them and get in behind, which is where our strength lies.”
Blair said everyone was fit for the weekend’s game in Hawke’s Bay.
“We should have a good core of players to pick from.”
He said the squad had trained well this week, and the starting line-up would be much the same as that for last week’s game against Maycenvale — a 3-0 win for Thistle.
Ashley McMillan would likely shift from the right to the centre of midfield, and attack-minded Travis White could get his first start in the Thistle Pacific Premiership team.
“Rovers’ line-up is normally youth-focused, and with their first team not playing till Sunday, a few players could drop down to the reserves,” Blair said.
“But we’re up for it and looking forward to a good tough game.”
Napier City Rovers Reserves’ only loss in the competition this year has come against top team Port Hill (2-1) in the second game of the competition, and their only draw (1-1) was against bottom team Napier Marist last week. Two weeks ago they beat Gisborne United 2-1 in Napier.
United’s opponents tomorrow, Taradale, lost 3-0 to Thistle at Childers Road Reserve in the second week of the competition.
Taradale brought a depleted but combative squad to Gisborne that day, and could be expected to field a stronger side at home.
But United hit their stride at Harry Barker Reserve last week with a 5-1 victory over Western Rangers. It was a good all-round performance, with Josh Adams, Josh Harris and Jarom Brouwer creating plenty of threats in front of goal.
Coach Corey Adams has stressed the importance of clean sheets this year, and United’s defence has benefited from the presence of Dane Thompson, who was shifted back from midfield to bolster the ranks.
Attack has been United’s strength in recent years, but if they can combine a miserly defence with a freewheeling attack, they could be in contention when the prizes are handed out.
Adams said the squad was little changed from last week. Striker PJ Goodlett, who came on up front late in the Western Rangers game and scored the last goal of the game, injured his shoulder at work and is waiting on X-ray results. Regardless, he is unlikely to travel.
Other players have injury niggles but are expected to be available to play.