Class and promise on display

Gisborne Thistle’s Federation League team celebrate their victory in the Geoff Logan Memorial Tournament at Childers Road Reserve at the weekend. They are, back (from left): Ziggy West-Hill, Jimmy Somerton, Jirah Wanoa, Nicky Land, Brad Hill, David Salmond and Matt McVey. Front: Tam Cramer (coach), Shai Avni, Connor Evison, Travis White, Mitchell Stewart-Hill (captain), Te Kani Wirepa-Hei and Daniel Venema. Absent: David Ure and Gavin Derr. Thistle’s first game in this season’s nine-team Central Federation League is away from home, against Taradale, on Saturday, April 6. Picture supplied

Youngsters showed promise and older hands showed a bit of class as Gisborne football teams had a pre-season hit-out in the Geoff Logan Memorial Tournament at Childers Road Reserve on Saturday.

Thistle’s Central Federation League team won a hotly contested final against United 2-1, thanks to a 30-metre scorcher from midfielder Matt McVey in the last few minutes.

United had started the final brightly, closing down their opponents quickly and making it hard for the Jags to settle into their possession-based game.

Thistle grew into the match as the first half progressed, but suffered a blow just before the break when tear-away United striker Josh Adams timed his run to perfection and tucked the ball beyond Thistle goalkeeper Mitchell Stewart-Hill for a 1-0 halftime lead.

Soon after the break, Thistle striker Jimmy Somerton got through on goal and lobbed his shot over the advancing keeper to level the score.

Thistle had the better of the second half, but United were always a threat.

Kieran Venema was a commanding presence in a central defensive role, and his accuracy with the long ball meant Thistle’s defence had to be alert to the dangers of Josh Adams down the middle, younger brother Jacob coming in from the right, and elder brother Corey breaking from central midfield.

Stewart-Hill was called on to make a couple of outstanding saves for Thistle, while defenders Ziggy West-Hill, Shai Avni, Te Kani Wirepa-Hei and Jirah Wanoa showed plenty of promise for the season ahead.

Teenager Cory Thomson and seasoned campaigner Nicky Land put in good shifts throughout the tournament, and McVey’s work-rate after nearly four hours of football through the day was astonishing.

Also impressive was the effort from the volunteer referees, in particular Gordon Williamson, who put in four hours of back-to-back officiating.

Six teams were split into two groups of three for the tournament.

The top two from each group went into semifinals, and the bottom teams played a fifth/sixth playoff.

All games were 25 minutes each way.

United, Wainui Sandbar and Thistle Youth were in one group, and High School Old Boys, Wainui Sharks and Thistle’s Federation League team were in the other.

Thistle Feds beat Wainui Sandbar in one semifinal and United beat Sharks in the other. Thistle Youth beat HSOB in the fifth-sixth playoff.