Dalefield and Eastern Hutt should have a thorough understanding of each other's play if, as expected, they meet in the semi-finals of the Wellington premier division women's hockey competition on August 8.
Not only did they play a catch-up game at Clareville on Tuesday, won by Eastern Hutt 6-2, but they
will also meet at the National Hockey Stadium in Wellington this Saturday when the last of the preliminary round games are held. And with Eastern Hutt almost certain to go into the semis as top seeds and Dalefield as fourth seeds they will meet again there as well. Dalefield coach Nigel Goodin makes no secret of his respect for Eastern Hutt, rating them clearly the best team in the premier division, but at the same time he isn't about to be flying the white flag come the semis.
"Most people will be fancying them to beat us easily but that will mean nothing to us," he said.
"In the end it will come down to who plays best in one game and we are a hope, no doubt about that."
Goodin saw Tuesday's four-goal loss under lights at Clareville as actually providing more positives than minuses for his team.
He said Dalefield had been outgunned in the first half, at the end of which they trailed 3-0, but competed well in the second.
"Defensively we weren't tight enough in the first half and they were quick and skilful enough to punish us but it was a lot more even in the second, and that was encouraging," Goodin said.
"And we scored the last goal too so we can say we finished on a more positive note than they did."
Outstanding in the halfline for Dalefield was Brooke Taylor
while Chloe Stevens made a decent impact when she also joined
the halfline off the reserves
bench. Sisters Ana -May Playle and Janeen Bruce scored the Dalefield goals.
Coach Goodin said Dalefield would be "going for broke" in this Saturday's match with Eastern Hutt with the idea being to fully utilise the rolling sub rule to give every squad member ample game time.
"It would be nice to ruffle a few feathers a week out from the semis, that's the aim for us," he said.
