Consistency is the element that has been missing from Thistle’s campaign so far. Cramer believes his side have turned a corner.
“I think we can take points from everybody we play against,” he said when looking ahead to Thistle’s six remaining league games.
“Every performance must have the same intensity and attitude. On Saturday we went behind and the heads didn’t go down, then we went ahead and they equalised and, again, the heads didn’t go down.
“We’re not taking anything for granted. The players just have to believe.
“I’ve told them all season we’re a better team than some of the results we’ve had. We’ve been our own worst enemy. When we stop doing stupid things, we’re as good as anybody.”
A lapse in marking from a free-kick led to Western’s first goal on Saturday, about 20 minutes in.
Fifteen minutes later, Jags striker Somerton crossed from the left and a Western defender deflected it into his own goal from about five metres out from the far post to level the score at 1-1.
At halftime, Cramer told his side they only had to tidy up what they were doing, focus on their jobs and the rest would take care of itself.
In the 60th minute, Somerton hit a free-kick past the defensive wall into the corner of the net to make it 2-1. In the 61st minute, it was Western’s turn to equalise.
Two minutes later, Thistle played the ball from the back up the right wing, where Somerton received it and ran at the defence. He then slipped the ball out left to attacking midfielder Travis White, who sidefooted the ball into the right corner to make it 3-2.
“We battered them for the next half-hour,” Cramer said.
“They had some ball but we defended really well and they were reduced to shots from distance.
“Jimmy [Somerton] completed his hat-trick with goals in the 75th and 85th minutes. He was outstanding, and so were Sammy Hotas wide on the right, Junior Jimmy and Nick Land as double centrebacks, Travis White, who had probably his best game of the season, and David Salmon.”
Thistle lined up with Mitchell Stewart-Hill in goal, Te Kani Wirepa-Hei at rightback, Ziggy West-Hill at leftback, and Jimmy and Land in the middle. Cory Thomson, Salmon and White were the central midfield trio, with Hotas wide on the right flank and Kaden Manderson on the left. Somerton was the lone striker. Ruben Garcia came on for Manderson in the second half.
Thistle are at home on Saturday, to Havelock North Wanderers, who are second in the league.
Other Federation League results from the weekend: Havelock North Wanderers 3 Peringa United 0, Whanganui Athletic 2 New Plymouth Rangers 3, Palmerston North Marist 0 Taradale 1. Palmerston North United had the bye.
Points: Palmerston North United 24 points from 10 games, Havelock North Wanderers 22 from 11, Palmerston North Marist 21 from 10, Taradale 18 from 11, FC Western 16 from 10, New Plymouth Rangers 13 from 10, Gisborne Thistle 12 from 10, Whanganui Athletic 7 from 11, Peringa United 4 from 11.
