Dalefield finally capture timely scalp

It might have taken all season but Dalefield have at last captured the scalp of Victoria University in the Wellington premier division women's hockey competition, and it couldn't have come at a better time.
Dalefield prevailed 4-3 in their play off for third and fourth placings at the National Hockey Stadium on Saturday after having recorded two losses and a draw in their three previous clashes with Victoria University in 2009.
"They (University) have been a bit of a bogey team for us so it was nice to get one over them," Dalefield coach Nigel Goodin said. "Third is always better than fourth so this was the one that counted the most, wasn't it?"
Dalefield had just 13 players in their squad for this particular game which meant that plans to rest players on a regular basis had to be put aside.
Rather the onus was on many of the starting line-up to go the full 70 minutes and Goodin was delighted with the way they responded to that challenge.
Buoying their confidence was a dream-like first five minutes which saw them race out to a 2-0 lead, thanks to goals by Libby Noema and Ana-May Playle.
Victoria University reduced the margin to 2-1 by halftime but Noema restored the two-goal advantage early in the second spell. Then University scored again before Playle notched her second goal to have Dalefield leading 4-2.
And the scores stayed that way until the very last minute when a lapse in concentration on defence allowed Victoria University to finish strongly, but not strongly enough.
Goodin said the 4-3 win was "well deserved" with Dalefield digging deep every time Victoria University threatened to steal their thunder. Leading the way was the ever-reliable Janeen Bruce along with Leah Kershaw and Amanda Pottinger but, in the end, it was a total team effort which provided the victory.
"Honestly, everybody did their bit, it was good, gutsy stuff, "Goodin said. "There were a couple of goals conceded which probably shouldn't have happened but, hey, we're not worrying about that now!"
Meantime two players living in the Wairarapa, Jesse Workman and Mark Scully, have been named in the Central Mavericks national league men's hockey team for the 2009 season after a long trial process lasting 10 weeks.
For Workman it will be his fourth successive season in the Central side but Scully will be making his debut. He has earned his place on the back of some sterling efforts for his Palmerston North-based club side, Broadway, which is heading the Manawatu competition and for whom Workman also plays.
A third player with strong Wairarapa connections in the Central line-up is Dane Lett, formerly of Carterton and now lving in Palmerston North. He too plays club hockey for Broadway. The national league involves eight franchise teams from around the country with the Central men's team placing sixth last season. They will play one of their league games this year in Palmerston North and the rest in Christchurch.