A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.
A DISPUTED sending-off 10 minutes into the second half cast a shadow over Heavy Equipment United’s loss to Hawera in a Federation Cup football game in Napier at the weekend.
United were the reigning Federation Cup champions. Hawera came from two goals down to beat them 3-2, but the Gisborne side played the last 35 minutes with 10 men.
Ten minutes after halftime, with the score 2-2, Kieran Higham was brought down from behind, United coach Chris Adams said.
A linesman, from 60 metres away, said that Higham’s foot came in contact with the tackler’s head, but United players and supporters disputed that, Adams said.
Even with 10 men, United made chances. Adams, himself, hit the junction of the post and crossbar with a free-kick.
“We played so well with 10 players but couldn’t finish,” he said.
United had gone ahead after 10 minutes when marauding striker Stu Cranswick intercepted a backpass and went round the goalkeeper to score.
Fifteen minutes later, Cranswick ran on to a ball played down United’s left flank and finished with a left-foot drive that went in at the near post.
Hawera got one back just before halftime and drew level just after the break. They got the winner 20 minutes from the end.
Outstanding for United were Cranswick, deep-lying striker Corey Adams, defensive midfielder Kieran Venema and defender Jamie Simson.
United will now concentrate on defending their Eastern League title.
They are level on points with Carpet Court Thistle but ahead on goal difference with a game in hand.
Thistle Massive, after losing 3-1 to their clubmates at the weekend, are a point behind but with by far the best goal difference of the top three teams.
Carpet Court Thistle weathered some early pressure from Massive on Saturday but came into their own about a third of the way through the first half. From one of their chances, Zach Destounis side-footed the loose ball into the net from five metres.
No score before the breakMassive came back strongly for the next 10 minutes but could not score before the break.
Carpet Court went further ahead 15 minutes into the second half, when midfielder Jason Scott scored with a close-range header.
Ten minutes later, man of the match Shaun Leeper, playing his second game after turning out for the 26ers, scored with a low, hard, 35-metre free-kick that skimmed off the ground and beat everyone.
From there, Carpet Court defended in numbers to make sure of the win.
Massive central midfielder Ander Batarrita, playing his last game before returning to Spain on holiday, got the final flick to a David Ure left-flank free-kick that was helped on by Jody Ure. But the goal came too late to give Massive much hope of a comeback.
Carpet Court Thistle were without defenders David Raggett and Andrew Black but were still strong at the back, with Stefan Faber, Dave Watson, Leeper, Leyton Peters and Geoff Griffin all in good form.
Flank players Jason Burgess and Destounis kept the Massive fullbacks busy, while central midfielders Phil Gill and Scott did the fetch-and-carry duties for lone front-runner Garrett Blair.
Zane Destounis, in midfield, and Dan Murphy, up front, kept the operation ticking over nicely when they came on.
Coach Roger Faber said it was a good all-round team performance that augured well for an exciting run-in.
Massive were well served by man of the match Mitchell Turner on the left flank and leftback Jody Ure, but had trouble breaking through a congested midfield, where the opposition often had the benefit of sweeper Watson breaking out from defence.
Referee Dave Knubley kept things running smoothly.
Gisborne Boys’ High School had the better of their game against West Inn Bohemians, winning 3-1, but they were a goal down at halftime.
Bohs left-winger Trent Donnelly hit a free-kick from 35 metres, low and hard across the goal from the left.
Goalkeeper-turned-striker Eru Rawiri stepped over the ball, wrongfooting the defence, and it sneaked in at the far post.
Both Donnelly and Rawiri were outstanding for the Bohs, despite already having played for their second team. Steve White also stepped up for a second game.
Boys’ High dominated most of the play and, with his first touch after coming on for the second half, Max Bramwell finished off a nice move to level the scores.
Periaso Kalsakau and George Andrews completed the scoring.
Bramwell and Toby Anderson played well for the students, while Andrew Brott had an excellent game . . . he was composed in possession and assured going forward.
Fraser Eddowes, playing deeper than usual, in left midfield, laid on two of the goals and did a lot of good work.
For the Bohs, leftback Mauro Negri was man of the match, Warren Muir had a solid game at centreback and Dom Jubb did well in goal.
The game was well controlled by referee Chris Niven.