Wainui derby from the top shelf

HSOB and Shockers players form a circle in remembrance of those lost to cancer before their Eastern League 2 top-of-the-table charity match on Saturday. Story on back page.Picture by Liam Clayton

Out at Wainui, they like their football to be of the champagne variety — full of bubbles and life.

Clubmates 1st Class Decorators Wainui Salty Dogs and Coates Associates Wainui Demons turned on a seven-goal spectacular at Wainui in Eastern League 1 football on Saturday.

Salty Dogs won the match 5-2, but both sides contributed to a free-flowing, spirited game.

Left-winger and Salty Dogs man of the match Innocent Nyasha scored in the fifth and 22nd minutes, striker Josh Baty scored in the 18th, and striker Henri Campbell scored in the 74th and had a hand in a freakish own goal.

Campbell, a builder who had been working in Taupo, drove back to Gisborne that morning so he could play in the second half of the match.

Salty Dogs would have been glad he did. He hit a long-range shot that struck the post, came back, hit goalkeeper Clay Parker and went in.

It was one of those passages of play where the goalkeeper could do little more than scratch his head, turn around and pick the ball out of the net.

Salty Dogs player-coach/organiser Rick Kitto said everyone played well and put in a great effort.

“Both teams gave it a good nudge,” he said.

Midfielder Korbi Schallinger was man of the match and scored a second-half hat-trick in Sunshine Brewing Wainui Sharks’ 6-1 victory over Property Brokers Gisborne Thistle at Harry Barker Reserve.

Strikers Tomas Campos Saez and Jake Theron, and midfielder Max Logan got the other goals for Sharks.

Ollie Aldridge filled in as goalkeeper for three-quarters of the match and did a good job, Theron said.

“Everyone played well, although with all the weather problems we’ve had we were a bit rusty.”

Thistle coach Craig Stirton said his side were hit by injuries and players being unavailable, but central midfielder Noy Paull and striker Alex Shanks put in good shifts.

Shanks also played well in goal in the second half. Regular keeper Hugo Lodewyk was injured.

In other Division 1 football, Heavy Equipment Services Gisborne United Firsts beat Thistle Vintage 8-0 at Harry Barker Reserve — their 11th win from 11 matches giving them a nine-point lead over second-placed Wainui Sharks.