United ‘on the cusp’

KEY MAN: Gisborne United goalkeeper Jack Faulkner takes the ball under pressure from Thistle striker Liam McMenamy. Faulkner has been a key member of the Pacific Premiership-winning side this season and his good form has been recognised with his inclusion in the 23-man under-19 Hawke’s Bay squad. File picture by Paul Rickard

Gisborne United are on the cusp of making an outstanding season a great one.

Tomorrow they host Massey University in the Federation Cup final at Harry Barker Reserve at 2pm.

This season United’s top team have won the Pacific Premiership and retained the Challenge Cup, their third team have won the Poverty Bay Cup and their women’s team have won the league and cup double. The Gisborne Championship Division 1 side are in a neck-and-neck race with Thistle Massive for that title.

Victory in the Federation Cup final tomorrow would make this a stellar year for the club.

In the semifinals Heavy Equipment Services Gisborne United beat Federation League side Wanganui City 6-1 after extra time, after the sides were locked at 1-1 at the end of 90 minutes. Massey University beat Palmerston North rivals Hokowhitu 2-1 to book their place in the final.

United are in scintillating goalscoring form, having scored 22 goals in their last five games across both the league and cup. United won the Pacific Premiership by one point, local rivals Gisborne Thistle finishing runners-up. United were unbeaten at home in the league, which meant they retained the Challenge Cup for the whole season.

Massey University play in the Central Federation League, a level higher than United. This season they finished seventh out of 11, with six wins, one draw and nine losses.

United are coached and managed by Chris and Molly Adams in the Federation Cup, giving their son Corey a break from his usual first-team duties as player-coach.

Corey will be on the sideline, too, for this game as he is out of action with a knee injury he picked up in the semifinal against Wanganui City.

Some of the United squad members might be cutting it fine to get to the match before kick-off. Three of them — striker Stu Cranswick, defender Jonathan Purcell and midfielder Aaron Graham — are likely to be playing in what could be a decisive Gisborne Championship match against league leaders Thistle Massive. That game is at Childers Road Reserve at midday, and should be finished by 1.45pm.

Any of these three players could be required to start in the later game, and they might not find out until just before kick-off in the early match.

Scenes of a waiting vehicle and driver, with playing strip laid out on the back seat, spring to mind.

As of last night, Chris Adams had still not decided on a starting line-up, but he knows his players are raring to go. United will play the same style of football they have used all season during the cup rounds.

United have played in the final twice before for a win and a loss. They beat Napier City Rovers Reserves 6-1 in 2014 and the year before were beaten 3-2 by the Havelock North Wanderers first team.

Over half of the United team, then playing as Team Gisborne, have played Massey University in the Federation League.