Thistle face red-shirted wall

Pictures by Paul Rickard

THE curse of the bouncing ball in the penalty area almost undid Gisborne Thistle at Childers Road Reserve on Saturday. They went a goal down to bottom-of-the-table Devon Homes Wanganui Athletic in the 33rd minute of a Central Federation League football match. But they plugged away against a side who looked anything but cellar-dwellers, and got their reward in the 73rd minute.

Defensive midfielder and skipper Kieran Venema threaded a perfectly weighted through-ball to winger Josh Adams, making a run into the penalty area from the right. He took it in his stride and placed it past Wanganui goalkeeper Matthew Calvert.

At 1-1, the crowd waited for Wanganui to cave in. They never did. They got their draw, and a point.

Wanganui defended in numbers, their red shirts presenting an almost impenetrable wall. And they defended intelligently. In the 65th minute, Adams — enjoying a strong second half after a quiet first spell — attacked from the right. Rather than risk a tackle that could be mistimed and bring a free-kick or penalty, two Wanganui players joined him on his run, merging almost like a zip. With minimal if any contact, they squeezed his room to move and, when the ball popped a little too far ahead, Calvert was there to gather.

Thistle co-coach Matt Hastings said the game produced more positives than negatives.

“I couldn’t be happier with the work rate,” he said. “It’s tough to break down sides who have 11 men back. Teams at the bottom of the table have nothing to lose and everything to gain. They have no fear.”

Patience in Thistle attackHastings said he was pleased with Thistle’s patience in attack. When things didn’t work down one side, they went to the other. One thing to build on was the movement in the final third when teams defended in depth.

“There are lots of opportunities in the central area,” Hastings said. “We need to learn how to draw players out, break down the blockade and penetrate through central areas if we can’t penetrate out wide.”

Thistle were without midfielders Jarom Brouwer (in Hamilton for a family wedding), Josh Harris (injured) and Malcolm Marfell (suspended), and striker Corey Adams (injured). Defender Reece Brew was stripped but carrying an injury. The side they fielded was still strong, though.

Wanganui improvingBefore Saturday, Wanganui had played 11 games, lost 11; scored eight goals, conceded 58. They had a horror start to the season, conceding 27 goals in three games, against three of the league’s top four teams. But lately they have become harder to beat. Their three games immediately before Saturday’s draw were 2-1 home losses separated by a 3-0 away loss.

The arrival of goalkeeper Calvert from England six weeks ago can’t have hurt. He was playing in Division 2 of the Ebac Northern League for North Yorkshire team Northallerton Town when an acquaintance with Wanganui Athletic connections put him in touch with the club. Invited to play in New Zealand, Calvert — still only 23 and with a bid at life as a professional footballer already behind him — thought “why not”.

“I’m hoping to find a team for the summer league,” he said after Saturday’s game. If he keeps playing like this, he won’t have to look hard. They’ll find him. Calvert’s positioning was spot-on, he was brave diving at feet, and he backed himself going into crowded areas for the high ball, to good effect. Importantly for a keeper in a young side struggling to make headway, he was vocal . . . encouraging and organising his defence.

Thistle defenceThistle’s keeper, Mark Baple, is another Englishman good enough to play at a higher level. He and centreback Ander Batarrita will ask themselves whether they could have done more to stop Wanganui right-winger Quinn Mailman from scoring off an awkwardly bouncing ball in the penalty area. They will already know the answer — yes — but these things are best filed away under “lessons of experience”.

Batarrita had an otherwise faultless game, clearing off the line in the 69th minute. Baple was not called on to the extent he has been in other games, but was a commanding presence in the penalty area nevertheless.

Near missesAt the other end, Thistle had some near misses, mainly in the second half. In the 52nd minute, striker Nicky Land came back into midfield to win the ball, then fed flank player Kieran Higham, who cut in from the left and let fly from 35 metres. The ball took a deflection that beat the keeper but not the crossbar.

In the 69th, Adams hit a strong shot from 20 metres, straight at the keeper, and in the 83rd, midfielder Cullen Spawforth hit a curling 20-metre shot just past the keeper’s left-hand post.

Both teams had started with attacking intent.

Thistle had David Salmon and Land down the middle, with Higham and Adams pushing forward at every opportunity and switching wings for good measure.

Wanganui had Scott Burney down the middle, Mailman on the right and Zeb Small on the left. The flank players, and Burney at times, dropped back to help once Wanganui went ahead, but they chanced their arm to start with.

MidfieldIn Thistle’s midfield, Spawforth ranged free, while Venema sat just in front of the back four. It worked OK, especially with Land, Adams and Higham lending a hand. Venema’s long-ball accuracy enabled him to hit telling passes from deep.

Wanganui had three hard workers in their engine room. Holding midfielder Luke Howe-Matthews was a real helpmate for his defenders and, in the early stages, keen to get things moving in attack. Fadi Fourhali on the right and Ryan Holden on the left got through a power of work between penalty areas in the first half, and then just in front of their own in the second.

Behind them, centrebacks Andrew Lendrum and Symon King, rightback David Glaister and leftback Tawhiri Pohio had an urgency to their play that spoke volumes for their determination to break Wanganui’s points duck.

Kieran Boyle came on for Burney with 28 minutes to go and did his share in the rearguard action, as did Jareth Lau, who came on for Pohio 17 minutes from time.

Thistle’s back four of centrebacks Mal Scammell and Batarrita, leftback Jake Robertson and rightback and co-coach Liam Ryan had a busy first half and could never completely relax.

Kory Thomas came on for Salmon late in the game as Thistle tried to tease out Wanganui’s packed defence.

This wasn’t a poor performance from Thistle. They have played worse and won. Give Wanganui their due for fighting spirit and defensive nous.

Referee Gordon Harris kept on top of things, booking Wanganui’s King just before halftime and Thistle’s Robertson after 53 minutes. Both were shown the yellow card for tripping a player.