STRETCHING OUT: Gisborne United midfielder Dane Thompson goes on attack against Napier Marist Reserves on Saturday as Marist midfielder Mitchell Dick chases back and referee Martin Roil watches. Picture by Liam Clayton
Get into the penalty area. That's where the action is.
Those words should be inscribed above every striker's dressing room peg.
They worked a treat for Heavy Equipment Services Gisborne United when they beat Napier Marist Reserves 1-0 at Harry Barker Reserve on Saturday.
Central midfielder Dane Thompson gathered the ball just inside Marist's half in the 12th minute and set off on a mazy run that took him into a remote corner of the penalty area.
The danger looked manageable as centreback Jayden Barrow came across to try to prevent a cross going in. He slid along the ground in an apparent effort to block the cross, but Thompson checked his kick and Barrow collected him at the end of his slide.
It was a clear penalty, but perhaps an unlucky one. It was worth three points, though, as skipper and defensive midfielder Kieran Venema coolly placed the spot-kick past Marist goalkeeper Michael Mason.
United are still off the pace in football's Pacific Premiership but they have moved from fifth place to third.
Previously fourth Taradale lost 2-0 to Gisborne Vehicle Testing Thistle and previously third Napier City Rovers Reserves lost 2-0 to competition leaders Port Hill.
Thistle are still second, three points behind Port Hill with a game in hand.
Gisborne United are at home to Gisborne Thistle on Saturday in the first Pacific Premiership meeting of these sides this season. Wet weather caused the postponement of an earlier scheduled clash, with the catch-up fixture likely to take place in September.
On Saturday, United looked set for a big score against Napier Marist, who lost 8-0 to Taradale the week before.
But Marist were a stubborn lot. They packed the midfield with five players, had four across the back and a capable goalkeeper in Mason. Alex Schroeder was the lone striker, and even he did his share of backtracking into midfield.
Marist coach and club captain Ken Cooper is also Fire and Emergency New Zealand area commander for Hawke's Bay. It's no wonder Marist were well organised.
Cooper had five 15-year-olds in his squad, four of them starting. They included his son Oscar who, as marking centreback, helped keep United sharpshooter Josh Adams scoreless.
Rightback Aidan Kirby-Vaughan, flank players Sam Luck and Cameron Houston, and second-half substitute striker Sam Thompson, all 15, looked right at home in this company, even though they were conspicuous by their youth.
Marist's “spine” had some experienced campaigners. Goalkeeper Mason was outstanding for his handling, shotstopping and bravery, centreback Barrow and leftback Connor Underhill did not stand on ceremony in clearing their lines, Don Butler was a good buffer in his defensive midfield role, Stephen Wayland showed skill and stamina between the penalty boxes, and Mitchell Dick managed to be both the most creative and destructive player in his team before he was sent off in the 63rd minute for his second yellow-card offence . . . the first was for a bad tackle, the second, for dissent.
But Marist lacked penetration in attack. Capable United defence restricted them to long-range efforts that did not trouble keeper Seth Piper.
Sweeper Kieran Higham was particularly sharp at intercepting balls into Marist's attack, while centreback Mal Scammell and fullbacks James Bristow and Jean-Charles Fixot were tidily efficient in their work.
United central midfielders Venema, Jarom Brouwer and Thompson, with support from wide attackers Campbell Hall and Malcolm Marfell, marginally shaded their Marist counterparts, but play did not flow.
Striker Adams had shots on goal in the 25th, 26th and 27th minutes, but they either went wide or were saved. Venema was through in the 58th but Mason spread himself and saved with his legs. Hall pushed the ball past the keeper in the 61st but Barrow chased and diverted the ball for a corner. In the 75th, Brouwer met a cut-back pass with a first-time chip that beat Mason but rebounded from the far post into the keeper's arms.
Josh Harris, benched to give him time to get over an injury niggle, was itching to get on, and replaced the limping Adams in the 67th minute.
The game was briefly 11 against nine when Marist second-half substitute Carl Hunt was sin-binned for dissent about five minutes from time.
United's numerical advantage was back to one when, in the 87th minute, PJ Goodlett was sent off, having been shown the yellow card a second time for a foul tackle on the keeper. He had come on in the 82nd minute for Hall.
United coach Corey Adams said Marist had good “core strength” but his side should have put the game to bed by taking their chances, particularly in the first half.
He singled out Piper (for his clean sheet), Bristow, Higham and Thompson as standout performers. Harris appeared to have come through his time on the field without aggravating his injury, and Adams was confident his brother Josh would be fit for the game against Thistle.
Marist coach Cooper said this was a development year for his team. The youngsters in the side had come through the grades with the club since they were five. This was the first senior football trip to Gisborne for most of them.
Their style of football was based on short, sharp passing and the game-plan had been to keep possession and try to get in behind United's defence.
“It's always a challenge coming to Gisborne,” Cooper said.
Referee Martin Roil, of Napier, had a busy game. Apart from the yellow-card offences that led to the two players being sent off, three other infringements were deemed to merit the yellow card.