Epic battles challenge top women's hockey teams

Paikea’s Holly Miller attempts to take control of the ball from Gisborne Girls’ High School’s Pae Wilcox-Taylor at the weekend. Paikea beat GGHS 1-0. Picture by Liam Clayton

An epic encounter between the top two women’s teams, a hard fought win for Paikea and an equally tough battle for Waituhi highlighted the hockey round at the weekend.

The Green Machine and YMP A gave each other everything and their match ended tied 2-all.

“YMP led 2-nil late in the first quarter after they came out with all guns firing,” hockey commentator Tony Scragg said.

“But GMC managed to peg one back just before the end of the first quarter, and it stayed 2-1 up until the final quarter.

“They went blow for blow right through to that point, but it wasn’t until the back end of the final period that the Green Machine scored the equaliser.

“The result is another indication of just how close this women’s competition is going to be,” Scragg said.

Paikea prevailed over Gisborne Girls’ High School by a slender one-goal-to-nil margin.

“Paikea were made to work hard for the points.

“Both sides created some good scoring opportunities, but a Jo Cumming special made the difference.”

PGG Wrightson Ngatapa enjoyed a win, 2-1 over YMP B.

“That was a great result for Ngatapa as competition points are just so vital for the Premier 2 teams,” Scragg said.

GMC Kowhai accounted for Te Aowera 3-nil.

“That keeps Kowhai up near the top of the table in Premier 2 and they will be a team to watch at the business end of the season.”

In the men’s games YMP A belted the Lytton Old Boys Resene Masters 10-1.

A backlash was expected after YMP’s loss the weekend before and that’s what happened.

“YMP started slowly in the first quarter but in the second half they upped the tempo and scored freely,” Scragg said.

LOB Traktion got the better of the Gisborne Boys’ High School side, and won 5-1.

“The weather gods played a hand in that one with torrential rain coming down on the Hain Farming turf.

“It slowed the game down a lot, which worked in the favour of the Traktion side.”

The men’s match of the round lived up to its billing with Waituhi and YMP B slugging it out, before Waituhi won 3-2.

“That result and the scoreline shocked many.

“Possibly Waituhi went into it too relaxed and they will learn from that.

“YMP B made them sweat for it.”

On Sunday GBHS played the Masters and won 4-nil.

The men’s round robin ended, and they now split into Top-3 (Prem 1) and bottom 3 (Prem 2).

Detailed results —

Women: GMC Green 2 (Caroline MaClaurin, Johanna Beccco Cortez) YMP A 2 (Madison Savage, Lucy McHugh). PGG Wrightson Ngatapa 2 (Annabel Hustler, Jazz Hickling) YMP B 1 (Morgan Tuhou). GMC Kowhai 3 (Jo Foster, Jonette Rudge, Kayla Hornblow) Te Aowera nil. Paikea 1 (Jo Cumming)

GGHS 1st XI nil.

Men: YMP A 10 (Chris Fox (5), Tamanay Tuhou (2s) Hamish Swann, Heath Tupara) LOB Masters Resene 1 (Jack Kernohan). LOB Traktion 5 (Anthony Boyder (3), Neal Ebbett (2) GBHS 1st XI 1 (Austin Fergus). Waituhi 3 (Henry Mohi, Tegan Brown, Hylam Tukariri) YMP B 2 Andrew Carter (2).