That game is now set down for 2.30pm on Anzac Day, April 25.
Hawera sit third in the Taranaki Premiership with a win, a draw and a loss, and yesterday they held Thistle scoreless in the first half.
However, the Jags went ahead in the 47th minute. Striker Matt McVey latched on to a loose ball to squeeze his shot into the far corner of the goal after Leo Maisey had made a strong run down the left to the edge of the penalty area.
Three minutes later, attacking midfielder Cullen Spawforth scored the goal of the game — a 20-metre volley from wide on the right that gave well-performed Hawera goalkeeper Nick Walker no chance.
Travis White made the game safe for Thistle moments after coming on as a replacement forward, when he put the finishing touch to a counter-attack down the left flank in the 72nd minute.
Hawera scored with a counter-attack of their own six minutes later but Thistle looked in no danger of losing from there.
Thistle keeper Mitchell Stewart-Hill was yellow-carded just before halftime for bringing down a Hawera forward who dispossessed him after he retrieved a ball wide of the penalty area.
Thistle midfielders Jarom Brouwer and Nick Land were unavailable for this game but the Jags were particularly well served by leftback Kuba Jerabek and holding midfielder Kieran Venema.
Up front, McVey tested Walker with two 20-metre shots in the first half, Maisey was eager to test and stretch the defence, and right-flank player Andre Riley made one run — from the halfway line to the penalty area — that almost split the Hawera defence.
A strong wind caused many long passes to go astray but Thistle’s short-passing game was not affected.
It was not a brilliant performance by the Jags . . . but it was enough.
Gisborne United also had a scoreless first half in their Federation Cup game.
Marist Celtic top the Whanganui senior men’s competition but that is after only two games in a 10-team league.
United player-coach Josh Adams said the Gisborne side should have put the game to bed within the first 20 minutes. A combination of poor finishing and outstanding goalkeeping kept United scoreless until the 55th minute, when they were awarded a penalty.
Adams sent the spot-kick wide, but the referee ruled that the keeper had moved off his line, and Adams made no mistake with the retake.
Eight minutes later, Marist Celtic made a break down their right flank. The move ended with a lobbed shot that United keeper Seth Piper got a hand to but could not stop . . . 1-1.
United central midfielder Dane Thompson broke the deadlock in the 85th minute when he met a Malcolm Marfell right-wing inswinging corner and scored with a sidefoot-volley from beyond the far post.
Adams said United made a plan to concentrate their attacks down the left flank in the second half and Marfell was their man of the match for the crosses and incisive passes he delivered.
Adams was pleased with the whole backline — rightback Adam Simpson, centrebacks Mal Scammell and Kieran Higham, and leftback James Bristow.
The midfield was solid, with Aaron Graham playing the holding role and Corey Adams and Thompson pushing forward.
Josh Blair, on the right, and Marfell on the left probed down the wings with player-coach Adams the lone target.
Corey Boocock came on at rightback with 30 minutes to go, and Simpson pushed forward in place of Blair.
The next round of the Federation Cup will be played on May 14.
Thistle Reserves’ 4-2 win against Napier City Rovers Prems was their first victory in the Pacific Premiership.
Sweeper Ander Batarrita opened the scoring in the 20th minute with a free-kick from just outside the penalty area on the right. It went in at the top far corner of the goal.
Striker PJ Goodlett put Thistle 2-0 up 15 minutes later when he ran on to a through ball and slotted it past the keeper.
Napier pulled a goal back before halftime, but Batarrita restored the two-goal cushion from the penalty spot after left midfielder Andre Riley was fouled.
Napier came back at Thistle with a well-taken goal . . . 3-2.
In the closing stages, Thistle were awarded another penalty, again for a foul on Riley, and Batarrita held his nerve to score from the spot and bring up a set-piece hat-trick.
Reserves coach Craig Stirton said his side played well in patches. Napier played with a better structure than the Jags but the experience of some of the Thistle senior players made a difference.
Batarrita, midfielders Nick Land, Reece Brew and Jarom Brouwer, and strikers Raydon Semmens and Goodlett were a steadying influence.
Centreback Brad Hill was the Reserves’ man of the match for his determined defensive work in clearing the lines.
Alex Shanks shone in both fullback berths at different times, Riley was tenacious defending or going forward, and Cory Thomson had another good game in central midfield.
