MIDFIELD CLASH: Gisborne United’s Corey Adams (left) and Thistle’s Cullen Spawforth tangle in a Federation Cup match that United won 2-1 at Childers Road Reserve. Pictures by Paul Rickard
Adams brothers Corey and Josh scored the goals that gave United a 2-1 victory over Thistle in a Gisborne derby Federation Cup quarterfinal on Saturday.
Player-coach Josh scored the winner in the third minute of the second half, after his elder brother had put United ahead in the third minute of the first.
Thistle had equalised in the 41st minute, soon after Josh Adams had seen his penalty kick blocked by keeper Mark Baple. The ball rebounded to Adams, whose follow-up shot hit the crossbar.
Play swept down the other end and, just short of a minute later, Cullen Spawforth hit a 30-metre dipper from wide on the left, and the teams went to the break level at 1-1.
This was the game Heavy Equipment Services Gisborne United had wanted since before the season began, and ALH Gisborne Thistle were under no illusions about what was at stake — bragging rights to the unofficial title of “best football team in Gisborne” . . . oh, and a home match against New Plymouth side Peringa United in the Central Federation Cup semifinals on August 27.
Thistle play in the Federation League, two levels higher than the Eastern League first division that United are contesting this year.
But last year United won the Pacific Premiership — the level between the Eastern and Federation leagues — and they dropped down to local football only because they couldn't be sure they'd have the numbers to continue playing in outside competition.
In 2020, United and Thistle both had a 3-1 win at home when they met in the Premiership. But United's 3-1 loss at Childers Road Reserve in the last game of the season denied Thistle the league title they would have earned with a 4-1 victory. Nevertheless, Thistle were invited to join the 2021 Federation League.
Two of Thistle's most promising players last season — strikers Jimmy Somerton and Oli Davies — joined Central League clubs Napier City Rovers and Havelock North Wanderers respectively during the offseason.
Overseas travel played a part in United's offseason losses in personnel. In terms of attacking flair, the most significant loss was Josh Harris. But United still had a formidable strikeforce, and that was the main difference between the teams on Saturday.
Thistle's outstanding player was their goalkeeper, Baple. Apart from his penalty save, his overall play was sound, whether shot-stopping or coming out to clear balls played in behind the defence. As he stretched to tip shots over the bar or wide of the posts, he seemed to find a couple of extra inches in midair.
United's keeper, Seth Piper, made one save of consequence — diving to his right to save from Jarom Brouwer in the 62nd minute — and, but for the goal and a Brouwer shot that hit the post, he had little else to worry about.
Piper had the benefit of a tough, speedy defence in front of him. Fullbacks Adam Simpson, on the right, and Jonny Curle hassled any attackers who came down their wings, while centrebacks Kieran Higham and Mal Scammell were so hard to get past that Thistle seldom got into the United penalty area or even close enough to shoot.
Aaron Graham provided solidity in the holding midfield role, while Corey Adams and Dane Thompson worked tirelessly building their own attacks as they disrupted Thistle's.
When Thistle had attacking set-pieces their main aerial target, centreback Ryan Anderson, often found himself jumping against at least two of three United defenders — Scammell, Thompson and Curle. Anderson never got an uncontested header at goal, which is how it should be.
United front-runners Malcolm Marfell, Josh Adams and Stu Cranswick are all quick. Adams and Cranswick are proven goalscorers and Marfell is a good provider of chances.
On Saturday, Marfell and Cranswick, in particular, put in plenty of effort to help out their defence.
Thistle lined up with Leo Maisey at rightback and Andre Riley on the left, with Alex Davies and Anderson as centrebacks. The idea that the fullbacks and Davies would have the speed to cope with the United attack had a setback when Davies had to come off at halftime because of tight hamstrings — he had played in the Super 8 tournament during the week.
Daniel Venema came on at centreback and after Maisey was booked (along with Curle) for a set-to in the 62nd minute, Venema moved to rightback. Raydon Semmens came on as a replacement for Maisey and played in the centreback spot vacated by Venema.
Semmens did well to stay close enough to a breaking Josh Adams to put him off his shot, and — in the 79th minute — to deny Marfell a shot at goal with a covering clearance.
Overall, United's pace troubled the Thistle defence, although Riley could hold his own. His ability to burst into and through the midfield was one of the attacking highlights for the Jags. In the 20th minute he was the instigator of a sparkling interpassing move that ended in Brouwer hitting the post with a shot.
In midfield, Spawforth had one of his best games of the season and scored a brilliant goal, cutting inside, past Simpson and letting fly with a right-footed shot that came from nowhere.
Kieran Venema did his best to get the team moving, and defended strongly, while Ash McMillan grafted throughout.
Collectively, though, they struggled to find a way through a United midfield determined to cut down their options.
Brouwer, back after several weeks of work-related training, looked lively and in the second half had a handy shot on goal, but United kept the danger contained. His fellow strikers Sam Patterson and Travis White also probed, looking for openings, but any they found were quickly closed.
Cory Thomson came on for White in the 78th minute and was not overawed by the occasion.
United opened the scoring in the third minute when Cranswick took the ball down the right flank to the byline and cut it back for Corey Adams to deflect in from close range.
In the 36th minute, Cranswick ran on to a bouncing ball and hit a powerful volley. Baple tipped it over the bar.
In the 40th, the ball bobbled up in the Thistle penalty area and came into contact with McMillan's hand.
Hawke's Bay referee (and Central Football referee development officer) Martin Roil awarded a penalty, which Baple saved.
In the 41st minute, Spawforth hit his equaliser, and in the 48th Josh Adams hit the winner. He ran on to a ball down the right flank, cut inside Anderson and hit a left-footed shot that wrongfooted Baple.
In the 70th, Josh Adams almost scored with a glancing header that Baple batted to the sideline.
Three minutes later, Cranswick and Riley were level pegging on a run down the right flank when Cranswick let fly from 20 metres with a shot that Baple tipped over the top.
In the 77th, Anderson was sin-binned for 10 minutes for dissent.
The yellow card was also shown to Aaron Graham, Corey Adams and Jonny Curle of United and Spawforth, Sam Patterson, Leo Maisey and Kieran Venema of Thistle.
United player-coach Josh Adams said he was relieved to score after missing a penalty and seeing Thistle score shortly afterwards.
“The boys showed a lot of fight,” he said.
“We let them have the ball at the back. We didn't want them to progress through the midfield, but wanted to force them to play the long ball.”
Adams said Scammell and Higham were the best centreback partnership Gisborne had seen in a long time.
Thistle coach Garrett Blair said the message to his team had been: “Don't play the occasion”.
The match continued the theme of Thistle's season — they lacked a goalscorer. He would talk to the club about bringing in a goalscorer next year.