Champs YMP flex their muscle

Te Aowera player Ahi Nepia loses her stick as she defends against GMC Green’s Nellie Brown in a Poverty Bay women’s club hockey game. The Green Machine won 9-0. Picture by Paul Rickard

YMP A’s iron grip on the Poverty Bay men’s hockey title does not appear to be loosening.

It is only two weeks into the senior club competition but already the A Team are setting a benchmark of quality, as Gisborne Boys’ High School experienced in Week 2.

YMP made it two from two with a solid 8-1 victory over the students, with the bulk of a goals scored in a dominant second quarter.

The champions have experience, skill and tactical nous throughout their squad — from Michael Bond’s steady influence at the back to Tamanay Tuhou’s speed and clever stick work at the attacking end.

But Boys’ High coach Wade Manson will have been pleased with the way his young side dug in for the last two quarters.

The game was lost but they only conceded a single goal, after YMP led 7-1 at the break, and didn’t back down against their adult opposition.

Their first-quarter goal, which locked the game up at 1-all, was deserved but ultimately YMP’s class and power shone through and it will be interesting to see if their main rivals — LOB Traktion — can challenge their supremacy.

LOB kept their perfect defensive record intact with a second clean sheet — keeping YMP B scoreless in a 7-0 whitewash.

YMP B have had a tough draw so far. YMP A in Week 1 — a respectable 3-0 loss — followed by LOB.

They should be able to show off their attacking force over ensuing weeks.

Resene LOB Masters, after a big loss to Traktion in Week 1, made Waituhi work for their three competition points.

Waituhi side came out on top 6-0 but to their credit, the Masters stayed in the game until the last quarter.

Waituhi used their numbers on the sideline well to eventually run away on the scoreboard.

In women’s games, Zeafruit Ngatapa and Paikea provided the game of the day.

The sides were locked at 0-0 going into the third quarter. Both had had their opportunities up to then but couldn’t find the net.

Paikea’s person-on-person marking slipped with six minutes to go and Ngatapa took full advantage to grab a goal which ended up being the difference.

YMP B and GMC Kowhai turned on an eight-goal fest, with YMP picking up their first points of the season in a 5-3 victory.

The women’s competition is shaping up to be one of the closest Poverty Bay Hockey has had for several seasons and the three points they earned will go a long way for YMP B before the competition splits at the end of the round.

Reigning champions YMP A’s defence is yet to be be breached as they eased past Amber Dental Gisborne Girls’ High 3-0.

But the students impressed coach Henry Mulligan as they kept one of the most potent teams scoreless in the second half.

YMP A will work on the attack in the upcoming weeks and if it clicks . . . watch out.

GMC Green made light work of Te Aowera, scoring a range of goals in a 9-0 victory.

They, too, have a 0 in the goal sconceded column.

Whilte it may look like a thrashing on the scoreboard, Te Aowera could take away the positive of keeping GMC to single figures — no easy feat.