Levin win the battle over Gisborne
Ahat-trick by striker Ollie James propelled Levin to a 3-1 victory over Gisborne Thistle in Central Federation League football at Childers Rd Reserve on Saturday.
Levin deserved to win. A young, generally slightly built side, they were fit, skilful and tenacious.
Any hopes ALH Thistle had of a late comeback faded after goalkeeper Mitchell Stewart-Hill was sent off for a second yellow-card offence in the 73rd minute. In the immediate aftermath the Thistle lost centreback Ander Batarrita to a 10-minute sinbinning for dissent.
At 3-0 down and two players short, Gisborne were awarded a penalty when Levin centreback Jesse Skinner brought down striker Cullen Spawforth, who took the kick. Levin goalkeeper Bayley Butler-Easton stopped the shot, then dived at Spawforth’s feet to haul in the rebound.
But Thistle earned a second penalty when Skinner ran across the path of striker Jarom Brouwer as he was trying to reach the ball before the Levin keeper. Although Batarrita had returned to the field of play, Spawforth took the kick and this time scored, in the 86th minute.
Levin were not going to surrender their lead now, though. The scent of
victory lent energy to tired legs and cramping muscles. Midfielders and even forwards were getting back to whip the ball away from Thistle players desperate to get within striking distance before time ran out.
Thistle started the game at a pedestrian pace. Players seemed reluctant to be the one to give the ball away, to the point where they played it back, and back, and back . . . till the man at the end of the chain — under pressure — belted it clear.
Head coach Garrett Blair was animated on the sideline, calling for his charges to lift the tempo and, midway through the first half, they did. The
passes now had zing in them, and players were sharper off the ball, making room for themselves and moving the ball on with one or two touches.
In the 38th minute, Thistle striker Jarom Brouwer fed Alex Davies out wide who crossed the ball to Matt McVey, who’s shot at goal was deflected over the bar by Levin centreback Neil Auckram.
Throughout, Levin harried the Jags and disrupted their attacking efforts. A minute before halftime, they got their reward.
Midfielder Bayly Vine collected the ball on the right, about the middle of Thistle’s half, opened up and hit a left-footed pass deep into the opposite corner of the Jags penalty area. Striker Elisha Masoe chased it down and turned it back to Dylan Vine, who controlled it with a touch and hit the ball, left-footed, to the far post, where Ollie James was unmarked to head home from four metres.
Thistle continued to press after halftime but Levin centrebacks Skinner and Auckram were uncompromising as they repelled everything Thistle threw. Around and in front of them they had a corps of willing helpers — keeper Butler-Easton, fullbacks Ben Rainham and Liam Dewar, and midfielders Bayly Vine, Toby Davis, Dylan Vine and Toby James.
Even strikers Ollie James and Masoe got back to do their bit.
In the 67th minute, Levin went 2-0 up. Ollie James played a wall pass with Dylan Vine, and James headed for the byline before squaring the ball ahead of the onrushing group of defenders and attackers. They all missed it, and the ball hit the inside of the far post and bobbled over the goal-line.
Six minutes later, Ander Batarrita clashed with Ollie James on the edge of the Thistle penalty area and James went to ground, clutching his face. Referee Niven ruled the challenge illegal, and James scored from the spot. He followed his shot into the net and picked up the ball, whereupon keeper Stewart-Hill fell on him, grabbed the ball and took it towards the centre-circle.
Niven showed Stewart-Hill the yellow card for the way he retrieved the ball, then showed it again for dissent, and the second yellow brought out the red.
Levin coach Peter Vine said his squad was “really young” and had had some tough results. Saturday’s line-up included two 16-year-olds and a 15-year-old.
Ollie James, who scored the hattrick, had just turned 18.
“We haven’t had Ollie for the past three weeks,” Vine said. “He had to isolate because of family contacts with Covid, and then he got it himself.”
Vine said the squad members were home-grown.
“Our coaches coach in the colleges, and the college teams are registered as teams in our club,” he said.
Levin’s biggest problem in their first four games was that they had to “chase the game”.
“We’ve conceded early, and when you have to start chasing games — throwing men forward and taking risks — Federation League sides will punish you. Today we got our goals first and were able to hold Gisborne out for a long period.”
Thistle coach Blair said it was one of those days. “Full credit to Levin. They are a team of battlers and that is what they did today,” he said.