United hopes take a blow

Thistle’s Kane Stirton (left) and United’s Aaron Graham contest possession in an Eastern League football match. Stirton scored the goal that got his side on their way to a 4-1 victory over Napier City Rovers Seconds on Saturday, while Graham gave a man-of-the-match display in a 4-1 loss to Eskview. Picture by Liam Clayton

GISBORNE United’s Central Federation Cup hopes have been dealt a blow with in-form utility player Eli Batten ruled out for the rest of the football season.

“Eli broke his collarbone playing for the seconds last week,” said Heavy Equipment Services United player-coach Stu Cranswick, whose side play Palmerston North Marist Reserves in a quarterfinal match at Napier tomorrow.

One man doesn’t make a team but Cranswick said Batten had been in tremendous form this season.

“He can play central midfield, on the flanks or up front. We’ll miss him, but we’ve still got a strong team travelling.”

Cranswick played down his role as player-coach.

“It’s just a title,” he said.

“We’ve got guys like Craig Christophers and our captain, JP (Jonathan Purcell), who are leaders on and off the field.

“Craig was supposed to be on holiday this weekend but he rearranged it so that he could play.”

Cranswick said he would likely play a 3-5-2 formation, with Christophers and Aaron Graham anchoring the midfield and Jack Feyen partnering Cranswick up front.

“We don’t know anything about Marist . . . we’ll just focus on ourselves.”

United are also in the running for the local Eastern League championship. They lie one point behind Thistle Massive.

“We’ve got to play Massive, so that game looks like it will be the decider; but our focus this week is on Marist.”