United, with a perfect nine-from-nine record, are now nine points clear of second-placed Sharks.
“The goal Matt Hills scored was the best I’ve seen this year,” Josh Adams said.
Hills received the ball wide on the left, ran at a defender, cut inside on to his right foot and from outside the corner of the penalty area hit a firm, curling shot 25 metres into the top far corner of the goal.
Josh Adams was also impressed with the contribution of Olly Purcell, who came on and played on the right wing for the last 10 minutes.
“He hit a pinpoint cross to me at the far post,” Adams said.
“It just beat the last defender’s head, and I had time to take a touch inside the penalty area and hit the ball low and hard back across the goal and in at the post.”
Outstanding for United were goalkeeper Andy McIntosh, centrebacks Kieran Higham and Jonathan Purcell, rightback Ben Hansen, holding midfielder Graham, left-winger Husband and right-winger Jacob Adams.
McIntosh had developed from a fill-in keeper to a specialist, Josh Adams said.
He’d played well and brought off several saves that were one-on-one duels with attackers.
Adams said he was pleased with the way United kept up their intensity for the full match. He had felt that in the previous weekend’s 6-0 victory over Property Brokers Thistle Firsts they had eased up in the last half hour.
Sharks coach Blake Mulrooney said United deserved their win.
“They took their chances and we didn’t,” he said.
Wainui had tried to pass the ball too much, while United had defended well and fought for each other.
Mulrooney was especially pleased with the play of central midfielder Andrew McBride and defender Korbi Schallinger, but felt all of his players had put in a good shift.
Thistle Youth and 1st Class Decorators Wainui Salty Dogs put on a goal-heavy slugfest on Harry Barker Reserve No.2.
Thistle won the match 6-4 after trailing 3-2 at halftime. They scored two quick goals after the break, Wainui equalised, and Thistle Youth scored two more, the last coming two minutes from time.
Brad Hill was the hat-trick hero and man of the match for Thistle. Dan Robinson (2) and Jakeb Te Kani-Brown completed the Jags scoring.
For Wainui, strikers Innocent Nyasha and Henri Campbell, and leftback Zach Furlan gave their team the halftime lead. Attacking midfielder Marcel Campbell kept them in the hunt with the fourth goal.
Salties coach Rick Kitto said Hone Kewa Pewhairangi made a good fist of his goalkeeping debut in some of the worst conditions of the season, and everyone kept going till the end.
Match of the day in Eastern League 1 tomorrow (if the games go ahead) could be that between clubmates Coates Associates Wainui Demons and the Sharks on the Wainui pitch at 12.30pm.
Another clash of the clubmates showing promise is the 2.30pm fixture between Thistle Youth and Thistle Vintage on Childers Road Reserve No.1.
Eastern League 2 has an interesting match-up on Childers Road Reserve No.2 at 12.30pm.
Competition leaders High School Old Boys play second-placed Smash Palace Shockers. When these teams met in the first game of the season, league newcomers HSOB beat the Shockers 8-0. Since then, the Shockers have won all seven of their games; HSOB have won six and drawn one.
Gisborne Thistle’s Central Federation League team have a bye tomorrow.
Results from last weekend —
Eastern League 1: Sunshine Brewing Wainui Sharks 2 Heavy Equipment Services Gisborne United Firsts 6, 1st Class Decorators Wainui Salty Dogs 4 Gisborne Thistle Youth 6.
Eastern League 2: Ngatapa Brandt Silkies 0 Smash Palace Shockers 4, Tatapouri Bohemians 12 HES United Seconds 1, HES United Thirds 0 Neighborhood Pizzeria Wainui Sandbar 2, Gizzy Bobcat Services Thistle 1 Tumu Thistle 5.
