Three-game away run will test Gisborne Thistle

Gisborne Thistle striker Jimmy Somerton looks to control a high ball in a Central Fed League game against New Plymouth Rangers in Gisborne. Thistle are on the road to face Whanganui tomorrow. Photo / Paul Rickard

The job is not done yet, but they’re on the right track.

That’s the message from Gisborne Thistle coach Tam Cramer about his team’s prospects as they embark on a three-game run of away fixtures in Central Football’s Federation League.

Last week they beat title-chasing Palmerston North Marist 3-1 – a 12-goal turnaround from the 10-0 drubbing they took from Marist in Manawatū on April 13.

Cramer said the mood at training this week had been good, and he expected to have the same squad available against Whanganui Athletic in Whanganui tomorrow.

Still expected to be unavailable are centreback Jirah Wanoa, goalkeeper Mitchell Stewart-Hill and midfielder Matt McVey.

Nick Land in the middle of defence, Hugo Lodewyk in goal and the various combinations used in midfield have kept things tidy for the Jags.

Electrinet Thistle have five games to go in the nine-team competition and have a realistic chance of climbing the league table. They could even claim third place, which comes with automatic membership of next season’s Central League second division.

The wild card in this calculation is the part that FC Western could play in the final weeks of the season. Thistle have beaten them twice this year, yet Western could still finish above the Jags, in third place, even if Thistle won their five remaining games.

Any success Thistle have this season will have been hard-earned. Their next three games are away, to Whanganui, New Plymouth Rangers and Peringa United (of New Plymouth). Their last two are at home to Taradale and Havelock North Wanderers, currently fifth and third respectively.

Cramer says Thistle will continue to “do their thing”, as they have in their recent wins against Palmerston North Marist at home, FC Western away and Peringa United at home.

Whanganui are second-bottom on the league table, with seven points from 12 games. Thistle are sixth with 15 points from 11.

Thistle beat Whanganui 3-2 at Childers Rd Reserve on June 1 in a match neither coach was happy with... Cramer said he was as unhappy with a win as you could be, while Whanganui co-coach Peter Czerwonka felt the game was one that got away.

Wembley Park is the Whanganui stronghold, but it’s not impregnable. If Thistle continue producing the form they’ve shown in recent games, and not take anything for granted, they can maintain their momentum.