The latter game pits last year’s Bailey Cup finalists against each other.
Last September, the Sharks scored four goals in 15 minutes to take the game away from United and eventually win 4-1. The rematch will be intriguing.
Sharks will need to be sharper than they were against Thistle Youth last Saturday. They looked comfortable in building a 3-0 halftime lead through goals to striker Korbi Schallinger (two) and attacking midfielder Thiago Carlos de Melo, and rounded off their effort with a second-half goal to striker Anthony Battisella. But they will have to lift the tempo of their game against a United side eager to achieve the league-and-cup double.
Sharks midfielder Tomas Campos Saez was their man of the match against Thistle Youth.
Wainui Demons were in convincing form against Thistle Vintage.
Strikers scored all five goals — two each to Mike Morrissey and Kaleb Jacobs, and one to Ben Inder.
Hayden Donnelly scored Thistle’s goal late in the second half.
Outstanding for Demons were the three goalscorers, central midfielder Mana Taumaunu, centreback Mitch Brouwer, rightback Callum Innes and part-time goalkeeper Mark Harris, who shared the role with Manaaki Terekia and Morrissey.
Vintage were scrambling for players on the morning of the game.
At 9am they had only nine, but they managed to pick up Jordi Henstock from Gizzy Bobcat Services Thistle and Aiden Armstrong and Shehab Altour from the club’s youth team.
Goalkeeper Sam Dalcom was Vintage man of the match, while defenders Dave Sluter and Roger Faber, midfielders Dave Raggett and Donnelly, and strikers Matt Feisst and Henstock all put in good shifts.
Thistle won an entertaining game against Wainui Salty Dogs, thanks to goals from striker Alex Shanks, right-winger Lucian Nickerson and left-sided midfielder Noy Paull.
Paull’s goal was particularly well worked, with Ander Batarrita supplying the pass and Paull cutting in from the left to finish with a strong shot into the far corner of the goal.
Coach Craig Stirton was happy with the performance of the whole team, and said Ethan Cunningham was man of the match for his strong play at centreback alongside
Chris Cockburn.
Innocent Nyasha scored the first-half equaliser for Wainui, but Thistle pulled away with their two second-half goals.
Wainui player-coach Rick Kitto said Greg Judd was man of the match for his all-action display at centreback.
Hone Pewhairangi had a good game in goal, and saved a penalty, while Simon Blaker did well in midfield.
“Both teams had their chances . . . Josh Baty had one cleared off the line,” Kitto said.
“It was an enjoyable game. We had a few lads who hadn’t played for a while. It was a scramble for players the night before. At one point it looked like we’d have nine, but we ended up with two subs.”
The first-round losers from the Bailey Cup go into the Chris Moore Cup draw, and the first-round losers of the Chris Moore Cup go into the Poverty Bay Cup.
Meanwhile, the Eastern League 2 competition is still tight. Smash Palace Shockers’ 1-1 draw with Tatapouri Bohemians on August 19 brought the Shockers back to level pegging with High School Old Boys at the top of the table, although HSOB have a superior goal difference.
Last Saturday, HSOB beat QRS Wairoa Athletic 4-0 in Wairoa, while Shockers had a 3-0 win against Ngatapa Brandt Silkies.
HES United Thirds beat Neighbourhood Pizzeria Wainui Sandbar 5-0 while Gizzy Bobcat Services Thistle beat Tumu Thistle 5-2.
In the women’s Eastern League at the weekend, Gisborne Laundry Services Wainui Riverina beat Tatapouri Marist Thistle 7-0, and Bohemians beat Gisborne Girls’ High School 3-1.
