Double to Somerton as Jags share honours

The goal that wasn’t or was it? Gisborne Thistle striker Jimmy Somerton soars high to brilliantly head home a free-kick in the 84th minute to break a 2-all deadlock against Taradale in a Central Federation League football game at Childers Road Reserve on Saturday afternoon. Referee Andy Parker initially gave the goal but after several Napier players complained, he decided to consult with an assistant ref and with the players waiting for the restart, he reversed his decision and ruled a free-kick to the visitors. Thistle games are filmed by Rangai and livestreamed on YouTube. Multiple viewings of the incident suggest Thistle could perhaps feel a little aggrieved with the decision, particularly Somerton, but that’s sport. It was the first game in three weeks for Thistle, who are bottom of the five-team table but have several games in hand on most of the other teams. It was also one of mutiple home games in a row for Thistle. Picture by Paul Rickard

A two-goal halftime lead was not enough for Gisborne Thistle to keep Taradale at bay in Central Federation League football on Saturday.

All the goals were scored at the same end in this game at Childers Road Reserve. It ended 2-2.

Both of ALH Gisborne Thistle’s goals came from Jimmy Somerton, who looked to have scored his second hat-trick in successive games when he rose to head in a Cullen Spawforth left-wing free-kick in the 84th minute.

It would have put Thistle 3-2 up, but Hawke’s Bay referee Andy Parker ruled that illegal contact from a Thistle player had prevented a Taradale player from challenging for the cross.

Somerton’s hat-trick in the previous game — a 4-1 victory three weeks before — was against the same opposition.

Thistle’s July 22 fixture against Palmerston North United was postponed because the pitch was waterlogged, and the Jags had the bye the following week.

At halftime on Saturday it looked as if their inactivity had done them no harm although their two-goal lead was against the run of play.

Taradale had come north with a team depleted by injuries, work or family commitments, and the suspension of centreback Liam Hall.

Coach Jamie Dunning improvised. He’d tried midfielder Harry Lack as a central defender in training, and he had been “excellent”. On Saturday, Jackson Haines and Lack formed a tidy partnership in the middle of the defence, while fullbacks Thomas Hall on the left and Brandon Josling on the right attacked whenever possible. Behind them, goalkeeper Graham Healey was a reassuring presence.

In  the 30th minute, Josling hit the bar with a free-kick from 40 metres out.

But it was Thistle who scored first, Campbell Hall setting Somerton free on the left with a through ball from midfield in the 40th minute. Somerton took his time and placed it beyond Healey into the far corner.

Just before halftime, Hall played the ball in to Nick Land who, under pressure, put Somerton in the clear on the edge of the penalty area. Healey stopped the shot with his legs, but Somerton scored from the rebound.

Taradale had looked the sharper side overall yet found themselves two goals down.

The Gisborne defence could take much of the credit for that. Centrebacks Finn McAuley and Ryan Noon seemed to have struck up a good understanding and both had strong games. Fullbacks Daniel Venema on the right flank and Land on the other backed them up with their sound reading of the play.

Keeper Mitchell Stewart-Hill had a bit to do, but not to the same extent as in his last two outings.

Midfield was the busiest place on the pitch and Taradale crowded it. They had George Watson on the right and Ethan Clarke on the left, Nick Demaine and Ayden Jones in the middle, and striker Liam Percy-Fysh dropping in to help out. With Thomas Hall and Josling also pushing forward from left and rightback, Thistle had their hands full.

Hugo Elwood and Cory Thomson did the heavy lifting for Thistle in central midfield. Davie Ure had a more attacking role but, of necessity, came back to help. Roving strikers Sam Royston and Hall also pitched in.

Somerton was the ace in Thistle’s hand. Whenever he had the ball, opponents clustered around him, eager to snuff out the danger.

In the 62nd minute, Thistle’s David Salmon and Cullen Spawforth came on for Thomson and Ure.

Taradale pulled a goal back in the 69th minute when left-winger Watson hit a beautifully measured chip that just eluded a fast-retreating Stewart-Hill. Four minutes later Taradale equalised.

Elwood was shown the yellow card in the 72nd minute for a foul tackle, and in the break in play Andre Baple came on for Campbell Hall.

Josling made as if to go for goal with the free-kick but slipped it wide right for Jones to run on to and score with a hard shot from an acute angle.

In the 76th, Percy-Fysh broke down the left but Noon tracked him well and blocked the shot.

In the 83rd, Taradale made their only substitution. Striker Tony Parkinson, 44, came off after putting in a good shift up front. He was replaced by his son Tyler, who has just turned 15.

They’ve played together before, but not at this level. Tony normally turns out for the Taradale team in the Hawke’s Bay Division 1 competition, and Tyler’s been known to line up alongside him.

Taradale’s only other reserve was coach Jamie Dunning, who was not required.

“I thought we were the better side the whole way through and deserved to win the game,” Dunning said. “We’ve come here pretty bare and put in a really good performance.”

Thistle coach Garrett Blair said his side didn’t control the game when they needed to.

“We talked about the first 10 minutes of the second half being critical. We got past that milestone but conceded midway through the half. I think we didn’t want it as much as they did.”

Referee Parker kept the lid on a keenly contested game, and showed the yellow card to Thistle’s Royston, Somerton, Noon and Elwood, and Taradale’s Thomas Hall and Demaine.