Poverty Bay heavyweights to meet in club hockey game of the weekend

GMC Green's Jade Stafford controls the ball in front of YMP A's Dannell Tuhou (right) and Maia Rickard in the 2023 Poverty Bay women's grand final on the turf at Harry Barker Reserve. The arch-rivals have met once since GMC's victory in the final - with YMP winning 3-1 - and clash again tomorrow in the feature game of the weekend. Photo / Paul Rickard

The big two of Poverty Bay women’s club hockey will lock sticks tomorrow in another replay of the 2023 grand final on the Hain Farming turf at Harry Barker Reserve.

YMP 1 and GMC Green met in mid-May in their first rematch since GMC’s victory in the final, and YMP came out on top 3-1.

They have another go at each other from 2pm tomorrow in what could well be a rehearsal for the 2024 title decider.

Hockey commentator Tony Scragg says it will “definitely” be the highlight of the weekend.

“YMP have set the benchmark in the women’s competition [as they remain unbeaten this year], and it’s now up to defending champions GMC Green to try to get over the top of that benchmark.

“To do it tomorrow afternoon, they will need to get on the scoreboard early, because you do not want to be playing catch-up against a team like YMP A.”

The club competition ball gets rolling at 6pm tonight when YMP B men take on YMP A in what’s probably going be a replay of their previous meeting - a big win to the defending champion A team.

“One-way traffic, probably,“ Scragg said. “The Bs showed some resilience last week [in a 3-0 loss to Lytton Paikea Sports Club Traktion], but it will be a different story against their clubmates.”

At 7.30pm, LPSC Resene Masters will be looking to match it with Waituhi after defaulting last weekend.

“The Masters are still struggling with injuries, with at least three or four players still out,” Scragg said

“They can expect to meet a Waituhi side very determined to bounce back from their comprehensive [4-0] loss to Boys’ High on Monday night.”

The Saturday programme starts at 12.30pm, with LPSC Traktion up against Gisborne Boys’ High School First XI.

“Traktion are on the move, but I think Boys’ High are moving faster,” Scragg said. “The students will be a handful for Traktion tomorrow.”

The 3.30pm game sees Gisborne Girls’ High First XI in action against LPSC Emerre and Hathaway Paikea.

“That should be a really close game. It may well end with a draw between two pretty evenly matched teams.”

The final match of the weekend features GMC Kowhai and PGG Wrightson Ngātapa from 5pm.

“The country team should be too strong for their opposition,” Scragg predicted.

“Ngātapa were made to work last week to beat Girls’ High, and I think we can expect their attack to be given a bit more latitude this weekend.”