Until now, rules designed to minimise travel meant if teams from distant parts of the Central Federation area were drawn to play one another, they would meet at a central location. That is why New Plymouth side Moturoa played in Palmerston North and Gisborne United played in Napier, even though both were drawn first.
Adams said for the semifinal and final, the team drawn first would have home advantage, regardless of the distance to be travelled.
Playing at their Harry Barker Reserve “fortress” would be a big advantage for Gisborne United, but they could just as easily be drawn to play in Taradale, Napier or New Plymouth, he said.
The cup semifinals and final were usually played towards the end of the season, so it would be a good incentive for players to keep up their fitness and intensity during the Eastern League and Bailey Cup campaigns.
Adams said PNU were a young side who played with four at the back and two defensive midfielders. They played a possession-based game, but Gisborne midfielders Corey Adams, Dane Thompson and Aaron Graham were quick to shut down attempts to play through the middle.
The first goal came when the youngest of the three Adams brothers in the team, 16-year-old right-winger Jacob, intercepted a pass - 29-year-old Corey got on to it and played a through-ball to 25-year-old Josh, who drove the ball from the edge of the penalty area across the goalkeeper into the bottom right-hand corner.
Four minutes later, Corey Adams collected the ball 25m from goal, beat two defenders and was brought down a metre outside the penalty area. Josh Adams hit the free kick from slightly right of centre into the top left-hand corner, with too much power for the keeper’s fingertip touch to make a difference.
Four more minutes on, Josh Adams ran on to a through-ball from left-winger Stu Cranswick and spotted the keeper about 8m off his line. From near the left-hand corner of the penalty area, 18m out, he curled the ball around the keeper and in at the near post.
“We probably could have gone into the halftime break 5-0 up,” Adams said.
“In the second half, I don’t know if we got complacent with the 3-0 scoreline ... we were playing a bit slower. Fitness could have been a contributing factor.”
The Gisborne defence was solid, with double centre backs Jonathan Purcell and Kieran Higham outstanding, and well supported by right back Ben Hansen, who was quick to shut down attacks.
Left back Kieran Venema felt a hamstring twinge and came off as a precautionary move 12 minutes in. Jake Robertson came on, but just before halftime he picked up a knee injury and came off 10 minutes into the second half. Sam Royston came on at right back and Hansen moved to left back.
In goal, Andy McIntosh had more to do in the second half but made no mistakes that could have let PNU back into the game.
Player-coach Josh Adams said central midfielder Thompson put in a man-of-the-match shift of non-stop running, big tackles, aerial dominance and accurate passing.
With 15 minutes to go, Jacob Adams came off, Damon Husband came on as a left winger and Cranswick went to the right.
Josh Adams said Cranswick’s fast, strong, aggressive style of play often took outside teams by surprise. He was dangerous in this game, and Husband also got a few shots away.
