Wanderers’ defeat was a shock because not only was it their first loss of the season, but they went down against a side which until Saturday had a meagre four points after 12 games. Palmerston North Marist still have a mathematical chance of winning the league title if they beat Wanderers at home next weekend – but Havelock North will have to also lose another game to enable the locals to nab the title ahead of them. Time is also running out for Palmerston North Marist, who after Wanderers only have two more games. Marist and Thistle were locked at 2-2 at halftime, with goals for the Palmerston North side coming from Melvin Rumere and Nick Carrick.
By halftime at Gisborne on Sunday,
Massey led 3-2, which completed the scoring. The students’ goals came through Cole Freeman, Zac Farmer and Michael Hilson. Coach Donald Piper said returning from Gisborne with three points was impressive. “We didn’t win it statistically in terms of chances created but we scored the goals.”. Five Massey players are in the leading group of the Golden Boot contenders: Rhys Galyer, Farmer, George Andrew and Cole and Joe Freeman. At Havelock North,
Marist coach Juliano Schmeling said “individual mistakes” cost his side the game as Marist struggled to cope with Wanderers’ long ball game in a 3-1 loss.
Missing will be Jono Steele, Jamie Lambe and Jaeden Shaw, so it seems the likes of recent signing Anthony Bell, Eli Smith and Fletcher Leslie will enjoy more game time. Coach Juliano Schmeling says he is aware of the threat Wanderers will pose to Marist’s title hopes, especially through the tall men in the Bay side. “In training we have also been looking at things like playing the ball out from the back and the decision-making in our finishing.” He says the side’s aim is to play a possession-based, organised game – rather like they achieved most of the time in their drubbing of Thistle last weekend.
WARWICK SMITH/Stuff
Marist’s Adam Gill, centre, competes for the ball with Gisborne s Tonek Frooms, right, during their clash on Saturday.
FOOTBALL: Palmerston North Marist swept aside Gisborne Thistle 5-1 with a scintillating display of attacking football in the men’s Federation League on Saturday. In what was their most accomplished team effort so far this season, Marist buried previously-unbeaten Thistle, announcing their intentions within the first five minutes of the game when striker Nick Carrick scored the first goal of his hat-trick. His goal haul saw Carrick leap to the top of the Golden Boot competition as unbeaten Marist moved the ball from side to side interspersed with short-passing rushes up the middle in a patterned approach that left Gisborne struggling to cope.
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