McIntyre Dick Thistle twice came from behind to rescue a point against Laser Plumbing Gore Wanderers on Saturday.
Thistle had started the game top of the table on goal difference ahead of Queens Park and a win would have heaped further pressure on Park before the clubs meet again in the league this weekend.
Instead, Thistle was lucky to come away with a point against a dogged Gore outfit who thought they had secured all three points, only for Thistle to equalise on the final whistle through Satya Angkasa, to get out of jail and stay in touch in the Donald Gray premiership.
The draw means Thistle need to do the double over Park and take all three points if they want to stop Park gaining further momentum.
In the other premier fixture, Level One Queens Park comfortably beat Kowhai Roofing Waihopai 6-0 to recapture top spot from Thistle after their draw in Gore.
Park went ahead early through captain Joel Murray, but it took them until the second half to really take the game by the scruff of the neck.
Despite a resolute Waihopai, Park controlled the game from start to finish and capitalised on a tired Waihopai outfit in the second. They went on to secure a comfortable three points that elevated them back to top spot in the league by a two-point margin going into this weekend’s key fixture against second-placed Thistle.
Goal of the game would have to go to Ganesh Thapa, whose back heel from a Bryan Orobio pass completely wrong-footed a stranded Shane Harper in the Waihopai goal and had the turf applauding in appreciation.
Old Boys are back in action this week against Waihopai and Thistle entertain park in a bid to return to the top of the table.
In the Kolk Cup, iHire Thistle maintained their stay at the top with a 2-0 win over Toasted Southend United. Kingsgate Hotel Te Anau Wyndham Town are on their heels with a 9-2 win over Winton FC.
Māruawai Midwives Gore Wanderers beat Malloch McClean Waihopai Woman 12-0 in the other league fixture.
■Park returned to winning ways in the Women’s Southern Premiership, beating Green Island 2-0 in their second league fixture since the split from the South Island qualifying league.
A Tyler Andrews double, one in each half, was enough to see off Green Island in what was arguably a reasonably comfortable three points for the Surrey Park side.
The win sees Park climb to second in the six-team premier league with the club heading to Dunedin to face Northern, while the Northern men head south to face Park in the Southern Premier League.
- By Chris Montgomery
