Injury opens door for students

BAD LUCK: Joseph Robertson, unlikely starter in final.PHOTO/FILE

DALEFIELD seem likely to be without national age group representative Joseph Robertson for their Wellington premier division men's hockey finals match with Indians at the National Hockey Stadium in Wellington on Saturday afternoon.

Robertson badly ricked his back at a training session for the Wellington national league squad on Monday and while Dalefield coach Willie Schaefer still holds some hope of him making a rapid recovery over the next couple of days he is fearing for the worst.

"From what I understand he (Robertson) is still very sore and it doesn't look good for him," Schaefer said yesterday. "He's a quality player who has been doing a great job for us. But these things happen, we just have to adjust."

If Robertson can't play the likelihood is he will be replaced in the starting line-up by one of two college players, Gus Wakeling or Morgan Taylor, and Schaefer has no doubts over their ability to make a name for themselves in what will be a high pressure game.

"Those young fellows are very good players in their own right. They'd thrive on the chance to get out there and mix it with the big boys."

Dalefield and Indians have had some stirring tussles this season with their preliminary round clashes producing a win apiece and a draw and Schaefer isn't expecting anything different on this occasion.

He says the Dalefield camp are approaching the final with quiet confidence but were also aware of the dangers posed by an Indians side sure to play their usual high tempo style with emphasis on counter-attack.

"They are a bit like us, they like to move the ball quickly out of defence and they've got a couple of dangerous players who can cause all sorts of problems if they are given time and space on the ball. Closing them down will be important for us, and we've had a good look at how best we can do that."

Schaefer is keen for Dalefield to hit their straps from the word go. Their 4-3 defeat by Indians a fortnight back came after they trailed 3-0 at one stage while last weekend in their semifinal against Harbour City they were 2-0 down with just 12 minutes to play and scored three late goals to grab the victory.

"It's good to know you can hit back when the chips are down but in finals hockey it's a heck of a lot easier on the mind if you are the ones making the pace," Schaefer said. "The first goal especially can have a big impact. If you go one up you put the pressure fairly and squarely on the opposition and that can have quite an effect on how the rest of the game pans out."