Goal rush: heavyweights flex muscles in Poverty Bay club hockey

Gisborne Boys’ High 1st XI player William Matthews, left, eludes the stick of YMP B’s Brent Durston in a Poverty Bay men’s club hockey game on the turf at Harry Barker Reserve. Pictures by Liam Clayton

The sound of ball hitting the back of the goal was prevalent as the heavyweights flexed their muscles in Poverty Bay club hockey.

There were big wins to YMP’s top men’s and women’s teams, GMC women’s Green Machine also racked up the goals as did LOB Traktion men and Gisborne Boys’ High School.

But the week’s action on the Hain Farming Turf started off with a contrastingly close affair — a hard fought 2-1 win for Paikea  over YMP B on Thursday night.

“YMP B certainly made the ‘Ladies in Pink’ work hard for the points,” hockey commentator Tony Scragg said.

“Paikea were leading by the two goals (scored by Jo Cumming and Joanne McLean) into the fourth quarter. YMP came back at them (a goal to Toni Halley), but left their run too late, so that’s three wins on the trot for Paikea.”

Gisborne Girls’ High saw off GMC Kowhai 3-0 but were made to work for the win.

“It was not the convincing scoreline that perhaps might have been expected,” Scragg said. “Nevertheless, the win keeps Girls’ High in the hunt in third place on the  points table.”

GMC Green netted seven goals without reply in a comprehensive victory over PGG Wrightson Ngatapa, including four goals to Jade Stafford.

“That result shows the class of the Green Machine,” Scragg said. “Apart from the third quarter, GMC Green controlled most of the game.”

YMP A racked up 13 goals over Te Aowera, including hat-tricks to Maia Rickard and Mel Knight.

“As expected it was one-way traffic, and the goals scored means YMP A and GMC Green are now equal on goal difference.”

In fact, they have mirror-image records — five wins, one draw (0-all against each other), 31 goals for and one against.

In mens’ games, Gisborne Boys’ High School dominated YMP B 6-0, highlighted by a hat-trick to John Board.

“It was another confidence boost for the students,” Scragg said. “It was good to see them scoring goals and setting themselves up well to do it.”

Defending MEN’S champions YMP A shared the scoring around in their 10-2 victory over Waituhi.

“That final scoreline was a surprise,” Scragg said. “It was relatively close at halftime but a second-half blitz by YMP sealed a comprehensive victory over a team who might have expected better from themselves.”

Patrick Ferry found the back of the net four times for Lytton Old Boys Traktion in a 12-nil romp over LOB Resene Masters.

“The only things that looked pretty from the Masters was the new uniforms they were wearing,” said Masters team member Scragg.

“On the other hand Traktion looked great in their new gear, too, and backed that up with a dominant performance.

“YMP A and Traktion are also now on equal terms when it comes to goal difference.”

They are locked at the top of the table with 16 points and a goal differential of 37 apiece.

RESULTS

Women

Paikea 2 (Jo Cumming and Joanne McLean) YMP B 1 (Toni Halley).

Gisborne Girls’ High 1st XI 3 (Chloe Kapene, Sophie Petro, Emily Petro) GMC Kowhai 0.

GMC Green 7 (Jade Stafford 4, Caroline Maclaurin, Amie-Lee Waiwai, Tori Wharepapa) PGG Wrightson Ngatapa 0.

YMP A 13 (Maia Rickard 3, Mel Knight 3, Lucy McHugh 2, Phoebe Bint 2, Dannell Tuhou, Moelani Tureia-Siataga, Grace Kuil) Te Aowera 0.

Men

Gisborne Boys’ High 1st XI 6 (John Broad 3, Ollie Egan 2, Thomas Fletcher) YMP B 0.

YMP A 10 (Heath Tupara 2, Chris Fox 2, Winiata Tarawa 2, Kohere Tupara, Michael Bond, Tamanay Tuhou, Jarrod Carter) Waituhi 2 (Tegan Brown, Henry Mohi).

LOB Traktion 12 (Patrick Ferry 4, Neal Ebbett 2 Jayden McKay, Mitchell Hodgetts, Oliver Shivnan, Wade Manson, Aiden Scragg, Jack Willock) LOB Resene Masters 0.