Thistle and Marist set the pace

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

THISTLE continued to stretch their goal-difference lead over Marist in the fifth round of the Gisborne women’s football competition.

Gisborne Laundry Services Thistle are sitting on 12 points alongside Tatapouri Marist but with an eight-goal advantage in goal difference.

On Sunday, Thistle beat Gisborne Girls’ High School (1) 9-0.

Girls’ High coach Matt Pierard said his young side still had a lot to learn.

“They started off pretty well but they stopped passing, and they are a passing team.”

Four goals before halftime left his side — with an average age of 15 — a bit disheartened, Pierard said.

“It is a big learning curve and they are still learning to work as a team. When you are under pressure it is hard, but watch this space . . . they will develop over the rest of the year.”

Thistle coach Blake Mulrooney said his side had some good passages of football and mixed it up nicely.

“Everybody contributed and played well.”

Lizzie Hall scored a hat-trick, Michelle Elliott scored twice, and Mollie Mulrooney and Holly Murrell also got on the scoresheet.

This weekend, Thistle play Lytton High School and Tatapouri Marist, who beat United 5-0 on Sunday, play Girls’ High.

But the game to watch comes the weekend after, when Thistle and Marist meet.

Neither Marist nor Thistle have lost a match or even conceded a goal this season.

Thistle have dominated the women’s league for the past few years, with Marist threatening. But Marist goalscorer Chelsea Simpson now has Kerry Tomlinson and Kenzie Holmes to share the attacking duties . . . Thistle face their biggest challenge in years and a possible upset.

Also showing improvement — despite their last placing on the league table — are Bohemians.

They have placed towards the bottom of the league for the past couple of years but are proving new and improved this year. They had a bye this round but will go head to head with Campion College this weekend.

United have the bye.

At the end of Round 5, Thistle lead the table with 12 points. Marist also have 12, but with a goal difference of 25 against Thistle’s 33. Lytton High School have nine; Girls’ High, six; United, four; Campion College, one; and Bohemians, none.