“We’re trying to counter-attack at pace,” he said. “I think we’re frightening going forward. We’re lucky. We have a really good squad. When we make changes [through substitutions] it’s pretty free-flowing.”
Napier coach Robbie Parker said lapses of concentration cost his side dearly.
“I thought we played some nice stuff, but we had moments where the concentration was not quite where it needed to be, and they capitalised. They’re clinical, and Jimmy [Somerton] causes problems.”
For long periods, Napier matched United pass-for-pass. Then United would conjure a chance out of something that seemed harmless and City Rovers would be another goal down.
Napier centre-backs Brett McBride and former Thistle player Ziggy West-Hill looked to have the measure of Somerton in the early exchanges. Both had pace and didn’t muck about when the ball needed clearing.
But in the 15th minute, Somerton met the ball, turned away from his marker, rounded keeper Liam Doran and slotted the ball home from a sharp angle.
In the 33rd, Somerton crossed from the right. The ball seemed headed for a goal kick but central midfielder Dane Thompson arrived beyond the far post and stretched out a leg to turn the ball back into the path of another midfielder, Corey Adams, who scored from a metre out.
Campbell Hall, causing mayhem on either wing, collected a lay-off from Adams in the 40th minute and slipped it just wide of the left-hand post, and two minutes before halftime, he curled a right-footed shot that just missed the other post.
Somerton, Hall and their midfield sidekicks, Adams and Thompson, were an ever-present threat, and Matt Hills and Cullen Spawforth worked hard providing the ammunition for them.
The back four of centre-backs Kieran Higham and Mal Scammell, right-back Sam Royston and left-back Malcolm Marfell were quick to close down danger, and Higham and Scammell are forging a steady partnership.
Goalkeeper Josh Adams did not have a great deal to do, but he made one telling save from another former Thistle player, George Ure, tipping his first-half header on to the crossbar-post junction.
Napier started the second half brightly, playing with more urgency and closing down United’s playmakers faster.
But United’s chances kept coming and in the 72nd minute, Hills collected a one-touch lay-off from Somerton 30m, advanced into the penalty area and slipped it past the keeper.
In the 76th, Spawforth crossed from the left. Doran dived out to intercept, but could only knock it into the path of Thompson, who made it 4-0.
Thistle’s last, in the 88th, followed a Somerton break down the left. His cross streaked across the face of the goal and a retreating defender knocked it over the line.
United made four substitutions – Jirah Wanoa coming on in the 58th, Ethan Thompson-Sheridan the 66th, Jacob Adams the 72nd and Kauri Holmes the 82nd. Wanoa and Adams had their moments getting forward.
Hall, replaced in the 72nd, was limping before he went off. United will hope it’s nothing serious.
Referee Andy Parker, of Hawke’s Bay, showed the yellow card to United’s Higham and kept order in difficult conditions.
Thistle coach Tam Cramer said their first-half effort against Havelock North was awful but they took the game to Wanderers in the second half, got back to 4-2 and conceded the last two goals only in the dying stages.
The Jags had six first-team squad members unavailable, some through injury and others because of work commitments.
They lined up with Drew Churchwell in goal; a back four of Travis White, Louis Sengelow, Daniel Venema and Jonas Klessny; a midfield of Leo Starck, Luke Jarvie, Theo Clarke, and father-son duo Nick and Cory Land; and Leo Maisey up front.
Thistle’s first goal came from right-flank midfielder Starck, who Cramer said had a great game.
“He got up at the far post and headed it across the goal into the opposite corner,” Cramer said. “We caused them a lot of problems from set pieces and crosses.”
Maisey, who “worked his socks off”, scored the second goal from the penalty spot after a Wanderers player handled the ball.
Others who stood out were White, Venema, Jarvie and Nick Land.
Thistle’s next game is against Maycenvale at Childers Road Reserve on Saturday.
Other Eastern Premiership results: Port Hill 4 Taradale Reserves 4, Maycenvale 4 Western Rangers 4.
Tairāwhiti Men’s Championship (Section A): Wainui Salty Dogs 0 Thistle Athletic Bobcats 1, Shockers Marist 0 Gisborne Pro Roofing Thistle 3, Wainui Sharks 8 QRS Wairoa Athletic 1.
Men’s Division 2 (Section A): Thistle Thunder 5 Shockers Campion Marist 2, Ngatapa Brandt Silkies 3 High School Old Boys Eels 4, Versatile Thistle 7 Wainui Demons 1, HSOB Black Hearts 5 HES United 1.
Tairāwhiti Women’s Championship (Section A): High School Old Girls 1 Shockers Black 6 (played on Friday).
