Dalefield gave hot favourites Harbour City a scare in their Wellington premier division men's hockey match at Clareville.
Harbour City's 6-3 victory might seem comfortable enough but the depleted Dalefield side actually had a 3-2 advantage early in the second half and were competing well enough to suggest an upset win was within their capabilities.
However, to Harbour City's credit they dug deep over the closing stages to score four more goals without reply, their cause being helped by the limited resources Dalefield had on their reserves bench.
Hugely influential for Dalefield on defence was the experienced Andy Ewington, who has joined up with them after a successful stint overseas. His clever positioning meant he picked up a number of timely intercepts and there was also an impressive sureness about his tackling.
Also shining for the home team was Mitchell Blackwood, one of the many promising youngsters in their squad. He was always assertive in his approach and linked well with his supports.