Thistle Youth shock Wainui Sandbar in Eastern League clash

Senior football scheduled for this weekend in Gisborne has been postponed, and junior football cancelled due to all sports grounds in the city being closed until further notice.

Gisborne Thistle Youth A caused an upset when they beat Eastern League first-division high-flyers Wainui Sandbar 4-3 last Saturday.

The result caused no change at the top of the table, but it makes second-placed Wainui more vulnerable to a challenge from Smash Palace Shockers Gold, who are two points behind but have a game in hand.

League leaders Heavy Equipment Services Gisborne United were playing a Central Federation Cup semifinal against New Plymouth club Moturoa in Napier last Saturday. They lost that match 4-1, so now have nothing to distract them from their pursuit of an Eastern League-Bailey Cup double.

Because United won the O’Neill Charity Shield match against last season’s league runners-up Wainui Sharks, they could claim a trophy treble if they do the league-cup double for the second year in succession.

United sit four points clear at the top of the table, with two games in hand over Neighborhood Pizzeria Wainui Sandbar.

The weekend victory to Thistle Youth A at Childers Road Reserve No 1 did not take them far up the table. They are fifth, with nine points from three wins and six losses, and are two points behind fourth-placed C & G Plumbing High School Old Boys Black Hearts.

Sunshine Brewing Wainui Sharks are sixth, on eight points, and Coates Associates Wainui Demons are seventh, on three.

HSOB beat Demons 2-0 at Wainui last Saturday.

In division two, Thistle teams fill the top three places. Gizzy Bobcat Services Thistle are still unbeaten and top of the table after a 1-1 draw with SP Shockers Green. Versatile Thistle closed the gap to two points with a 3-2 victory over HSOB Sports Club, and Thistle Youth B stayed in the race, two points further back, with a 2-0 win against CGP HSOB Eels.

Other division two results were Thistle Vintage Masters 0 Ngatapa Brandt Silkies 0 (the only goalless draw of the weekend in local football), 1st Class Decorators Wainui Salty Dogs 4 Tatapouri Bohemians 1, and QRS Wairoa Athletic 7 HES United Seconds 0.

In women’s Eastern League football last Sunday, Gisborne Laundry Services Wainui Riverina solidified their place at the top of the table with a 5-1 win against YMCA Thistle.

The rain and previous games had made the turf on Childers Road Reserve No1 slippery. However, Riverina made good use of the big pitch, reports Renae Lolohea (who as stand-in goalkeeper shared Riverina’s player-of-the-day award with centreback Amandine Mariette). Super sub Olivia Scott came on for Riverina 30 minutes into the first half and was the first to score. She fashioned a beautifully struck goal within minutes of being brought on. Striker Katerina Ngarimu followed up with a goal of her own four minutes later when she chipped the ball over the Thistle keeper into the top left corner. Thistle’s Eden Schollum pulled a goal back and Thistle rallied.

But Riverina’s Harriet Jefferies scored just before halftime to give her side a 3-1 lead at the break. Riverina continued to put pressure on the Thistle defence. Jefferies scored again five minutes into the second half to make it 4-1.

Thistle tried to break down the Riverina defence, but their efforts were thwarted by the solid play of centreback duo Mollie Mulrooney and Mariette. Scott sealed the deal for Riverina with another goal in the 84th minute. Riverina player-coach Lizzie Hall said the whole team stepped up to the challenge of playing without captain Lily Auckram and regular goalkeeper Tiara Weir.

In other women’s games, SP Shockers beat HES United 6-3, and Bohemians beat Tatapouri Marist Thistle 5-0.