United beat Thistle in nail-biter

File picture

FOOTBALL by John Gillies

GISBORNE United beat perennial rivals Thistle Massive in the Bailey Cup on Saturday and are now firm favourites to win local football’s premier knockout cup.

Their 3-2 victory was marred by the loss of player-coach Stu Cranswick 15 minutes from the end when he was sent off for being shown a yellow card for the second time.

The yellow had been shown the first time 15 minutes earlier, for a challenge on left-winger Jake Theron. The second was for Cranswick’s retaliation to a challenge from Theron.

Heavy Equipment Services United led 3-1 when Cranswick was sent off.

Carpet Court Thistle Massive closed the gap within five minutes, with centreback Matt Smith scoring with a header. Thistle piled on the pressure but United stood firm, and when the Jags looked certain to score right on fulltime, United goalkeeper Al Knight pulled off what Thistle coach John Stirton called a “miracle save”.

Cranswick will be able to play this SaturdayIt looks like Cranswick will be able to play in the Gisborne Championship game against Lytton High School this Saturday because United’s 2-1 Federation Cup win against Feilding on Monday served as his one-match suspension.

After Thistle’s 5-0 loss to United two weeks before, Jags coach Stirton was hoping for a vastly improved performance on Saturday, and he got it.

Nevertheless, the first goal came from United in the 19th minute. Midfielder Mal Furlan crossed from the right, striker Aubrey Yates headed goalwards from the far post and central midfielder Craig Christophers slid in to make sure of the goal.

Ten minutes later, Thistle equalised. Theron met Kane Stirton’s right-wing cross at the far post to score with a header.

Thistle were well in the game but Cranswick struck a minute before halftime. He received the ball on the left-hand side of the Thistle goal, turned and cut across the edge of the penalty area, striking a right-foot shot that took the ball just inside the left post.

In the 54th minute, United right midfielder Gaurav Kanujia was on hand to volley home from near the Thistle penalty spot, after the ball fell to him following a corner.

Then came Cranswick’s sending-off and Thistle’s late charge.

For United, Knight was outstanding in goal after a month-long lay-off. Others to shine were centrebacks Jonathan Purcell and Aaron Graham, and right midfielder Kanujia.

For Thistle, Theron was a thorn in the side of United’s defence, Kane Stirton was tireless on the right flank, and leftback Daniel Contreras, centreback Matt Smith and defensive midfielder Reece Brew were solid. Stefan Faber put in a good shift, too, when he came on at the back in the second half.

Jags coach Stirton thought his side could have scored two or three more goals with better finishing, but both he and Cranswick were satisfied with their teams’ efforts.

The match had a disappointing sequel for Thistle Massive. They travelled to Hawke’s Bay to play Eskview in the Federation Cup on Monday and could manage only a scratch squad, many of whom were still getting over the bumps and bruises of Saturday’s game. They lost 5-0.

John Stirton, 68, had no option but to playJohn Stirton, 68, had to go on late in the game. That he had no other options was “embarrassing”, he said.

However, he was grateful to those who helped out on the day.

In other Bailey Cup action, Gisborne Boys’ High School beat Sunshine Brewery Wainui Sharks 4-2 on penalties after regulation time ended with the score at 1-1. Thistle Vintage beat Lytton High School 4-1, and Coates Associates Wainui Demons beat ShipWreck Bohemians 4-3 on penalties, again after the teams were level at 1-1 after regulation time.

Bailey Cup games are going straight to penalties if the teams are level at 90 minutes — with no extra time. It’s an initiative with a lot of supporters among the older brigade.

Wainui Sharks played with nine players for the first 15 minutes and when the 12th player turned up 20 minutes in, flu-struck Mike Vita came off.

Boys’ High took advantage of the extra space early on to mount a nice passing movement that ended in Austrian international student Marco Mittermayr advancing from his defensive midfield position and scoring with a good shot from 20 metres.

Wainui regrouped and, midway through the second half, centreback Jamie Gallacher hit a left-foot special from 35 metres to equalise.

For Boys’ High, Mittermayr, captain and centreback Jirah Wanoa (converted from striker) and left wingback Oscar Daubé were outstanding.

Gallacher and fellow centreback Jeff Allen, central midfielders Korbi Schallinger and Rick Kitto, rightback John Hill and leftback Diego Pedrioli were Wainui’s best.

Bohemians left-winger Gary Cunningham gave his side the halftime lead against Wainui Demons but Mike Morrissey equalised from long range to send it to penalties.

For Bohemians, Cunningham, centrebacks Hayden Donnelly and Caleb Craig, and midfielder Ma Mahuika put in standout performances.

In the Chris Moore Cup, Riverina beat GBHS (2) 5-1.

And in the Poverty Bay Cup game between ITM Thistle and Three Rivers Medical Bohemians, the realities of lower-grade football hit home in the first 15 minutes when three Bohs players had to leave the field with hamstring injuries. That used up their available substitutes and they struggled on with the bare 11 to a 4-0 loss.

In the other Poverty Bay Cup game, Heavy Equipment Services United (3) went through on penalties after they and Smash Palace Shockers fought to a 3-3 draw in regulation time.