Football: Ref halts schoolboy game due to player safety

NBHS player Campbell Hantler (centre) celebrates his goal-scoring header against Waimea College at Park Island, Napier, yesterday. Photo/Paul Taylor

Iona College have thrown down the gauntlet to their rivals with an unblemished start to their campaign in the National Secondary Schoolgirls' hockey tournament in Hawke's Bay.

The Bay high school champions drew 1-1 with Columba College (Dunedin) first up before crushing Rangitoto College (Auckland) 5-1 in the afternoon on the opening day of the tourney at Park Island, Napier, yesterday.

"We had a tough draw with an 8.15am game followed by 1.45pm so we got right into it," Iona team manager David Nancarrow said of the 2 x 30-minute halves and a gritty start with Columba.

Striker Bella Greig got the equaliser in the second spell after Isabelle Becconsall-Ryan put the visitors up in the first half in a game Nancarrow felt Iona had dominated.

He said Iona were facing Waikato Diocesan, who lost 3-0 to Columba yesterday in pool H, tomorrow to see which teams proceed to the top-16 Federation Cup of the tourney and who would go down to the bottom-16 Marie Fry Trophy segment.

"It's all on tomorrow and we have a healthy respect for Waikato Diocesan," Nancarrow said.

Iona led 3-1 halftime against Rangitoto with Olivia Shannon scoring twice and Denby-Rose Tait, Greig, and Olivia Kirkpatrick finding the backboard once each.

In the pool D derby, Napier Girls' High School beat Woodford House 2-0 with Sophie nation and Kaitlin Cotter scoring after the sides were scoreless in the first half.

-It was fireworks in the secondary schoolboys' soccer tourney at Park Island where 32 teams are vying for the bragging rights to become the best team in the country.

Rathkeale College (Wairarapa) and Mt Albert Grammar (Auckland) pool C game at 1.30pm came to premature conclusion with the sides locked 2-2 after the referee blew his whistle early.

The referee sent off three Mt Albert players in the second half after flashing them four yellow cards and a yellow card one to a Rathkeale player.

Tourney controller Greg Kettle said the judicial panel would convene this morning to consider an appeal Mt Albert had lodged but didn't think the result would change.

"The play, I believe, got a little heated so the game was stopped in the interest of player safety," Kettle said.

Mt Albert coach Peter Smith and his Rathkeale counterpart, Steve Coleman, declined to comment while the case was pending before a judiciary although the latter didn't think the game had been "abandoned".

Kettle was unable to furnish results but said Napier Boys' High were on the top of their table with a draw against Wellington College and a win over Waimea in pool D.

In pool C, Hastings Boys' High lost 3-0 to Mt Albert after trailing 1-0 at halftime and went down 2-1 to St Andrew's College.

HBHS striker Luke Morgan scored from a penalty kick after after the opposition centreback dragged him down.

They play Rathkeale this morning before a 4pm crossover match at 4pm in an open draw.

"We just have to get out there and play each game to improve to see where we get to," HBHS coach Grant Hastings said. "We've put in two good honest shifts."

Hastings took comfort in his side not conceding a goal from open play - two corners and a penalty kick - against Mt Albert Grammar.