The Gisborne game was not as free-flowing or as compelling as some past derbies. Perhaps players were tense. United’s 8-0 win against Electrinet Thistle in the season opener set the bar high, while the Jags sought redemption.
For most of the first half, Thistle were in with a shout.
Jimmy Somerton put United ahead in the 27th minute with a penalty he earned with a run that began near halfway. He rode all attempts to tackle him, and cut into the penalty area, where Junior Jimmy’s attempted tackle was ruled a foul.
Four minutes later, Thistle almost drew level. Striker Leo Maisey crossed from the right and, beyond the far post, Kobe Donnelly rose to meet the ball. But United midfielder Corey Adams got back and intercepted Donnelly’s header before it had travelled a metre.
United had more chances than the Jags but, at 1-0, Thistle still threatened.
Jags goalkeeper Mark Baple had foiled United twice early on, blocking with his legs a shot from Corey Adams in the ninth minute and tipping over the bar a whipped-in free-kick by Cullen Spawforth in the 15th.
At the other end, Maisey won the race to a Luke Jarvie long ball in the 20th minute but his touch past United keeper Josh Adams took the ball out of play.
The late first-half goal came when a long throw-in from the right beat everyone at the near post. Harris lunged at the ball. His header lacked power, but that worked in its favour. It looped up and over Baple, whose leap anticipated a more forceful contact, and the ball dipped under the bar into the net.
United’s third goal put the seal on the result.
Thistle coach Tam Cramer made changes, midfielder Diego Canales coming on for Nick Land in the 60th minute, striker Jay Houthuijzen coming on for Maisey in the 78th and right back Charlie Harvey replacing the injured Canales in the 81st. Travis White moved up front when Harvey came on.
The best chances still fell to United, though.
In the 61st, Somerton got away down the right and turned the ball back to Spawforth, who hit a piledriver that Baple tipped on to the junction of his right-hand post and bar.
In the last 10 minutes, United midfielder Matt Hills caught the ball cleanly from 20 metres but it went straight to Baple, and Somerton shot just wide.
Josh Adams didn’t have a lot to do in goal for United, while centre backs Mal Scammell and Kieran Higham complemented each other. Scammell won the high balls and cleared his lines. Higham darted in for interceptions and covered across the backline.
Thistle skipper Maisey was usually outnumbered.
United fullbacks Campbell Hall and Jirah Wanoa were up against promising Jags players Leo Starck on the left and Kobe Donnelly on the right. The youngsters had some good touches but United were strong at the back.
The midfield contest pitted United’s Spawforth, Hills, Dane Thompson, Corey Adams and Harris against Jarvie, Euan Cramer and Nick Land, with Donnelly and Starck supporting from the flanks.
Josh Harris … back on full duties. Photo / John Gillies
Play was frenetic in the middle of the pitch, and often one- and two-touch football was all that served. Conversely, solo runs that dragged defenders out of position opened up defences. Somerton showed that in the lead-up to his penalty.
In the second half especially, the Jags midfielders struggled to get close enough to put pressure on the United playmakers, while both sides were guilty of misdirected or overhit passes that nipped attacks in the bud.
Thistle fullbacks Kaden Manderson and Travis White, and centrebacks Junior Jimmy and Louis Sengelow coped with most United attacks, but Somerton, Harris, Adams and Co could never be entirely subdued.
Referee Gordon Harris, of Hawke’s Bay, showed the yellow card to United’s Spawforth and Thistle’s Jimmy in the first half for foul tackles, and kept good control.
Mulrooney said that after an even first half they changed from having three at the back to four and went man for man on Jarvie and Cramer in midfield.
“We tried to squash them to stop them playing,” he said.
Thistle coach Cramer said his side were in the game until they conceded the goals.
He thought Donnelly, Starck, Cramer, Manderson and Baple put in good shifts.
“We’re looking at another couple of players coming into the squad,” Cramer said. “We’ll definitely make changes for next week.”
On Saturday, Thistle are at home to Napier City Rovers Reserves.
United play Port Hill at Marewa Park, Napier, in the premiership on Saturday, stay overnight and play them again, at McLean Park, Napier, in the quarter-finals of the Central Federation Cup on Sunday.
Eastern Premiership results: Gisborne United 3 Electrinet Gisborne Thistle 0, Napier City Rovers Reserves 4 Western Rangers 2, Port Hill 2 Maycenvale 1, Havelock North Wanderers 6 Taradale Reserves 1.
Points (after eight games): Gisborne United 20 (+36 goal difference), Havelock North Wanderers 20 (+23), Gisborne Gisborne Thistle 12 (-10), Napier City Rovers Reserves 11 (-2), Port Hill 8 (-9), Maycenvale 8 (-15), Taradale Reserves 5 (-8), Western Rangers 5 (-15).