Big wins put YMP, GMC into women’s club hockey final

TO MEET IN THE FINAL: Nancy Tarawa of YMP A gets her pass away under pressure from GMC Green players. YMP and GMC Green secured their places in the A Grade women's grand final with comprehensive victories in the sudden-death semifinals at the weekend. File picture by Liam Clayton

YMP A and defending champions GMC Green will meet in the grand final of the women's A Grade hockey competition.

Both sides had comprehensive victories in their sudden-death semifinals at the weekend.

Reigning men's champions HPY Advisors Lytton Old Boys will defend their title against YMP A after LOB beat Waituhi.

The top women's teams accounted for their opponents by big margins.

YMP A beat Paikea 8-1, with three of their players scoring two goals each.

“YMP scored their first goal in the first 30 seconds of the match, and Paikea replied just before the end of the first quarter,” hockey commentator Tony Scragg said.

YMP led 2-1 at halftime, and in the third quarter the floodgates opened and YMP piled on the rest of their goals.

“It showed the dominance that they have shown all season.

“The only work-on they might have would be how they start the game.”

The Green Machine were in charge against Ngatapa too, and put them away 6-1, a scoreline that included four goals to Caria Fuls.

“GMC Green scored first and Ngatapa replied to lock it up at the end of the first quarter,” Scragg said.

“But GMC had gone out to a 3-1 lead by halftime.

“They kept the momentum going in the second half and there was no coming back for Ngatapa.

“That win will certainly have their finals opponents YMP wary of them in Saturday afternoon's main event.

“The Green Machine are thoroughly deserving of another finals appearance. Whether they'll win the title again remains to be seen.”

In the men's B Grade, LOB Masters earned themselves a finals spot against Gisborne Boys' High School by beating YMP B 2-1 in a hard-fought match.

“The Masters got out to a 2-0 lead by the end of the first quarter and put themselves into cruise control, which nearly backfired on them in the second half,” Scragg said.

“YMP came back at them with a good goal to Andrew Carter, and it was all on.

“It was all YMP at the back end of the game, and the Masters held on by the skin of their teeth to take the victory.”

The big women's B Grade game on the Hain Farming Turf between YMP B and GMC Kowhai last night went to a shootout after the sides were locked up, again, at fulltime.

They were tied 2-2, which was a repeat of the scoreline between them last Thursday night.

“The shootout went YMP B's way 3-1, so overall it was a 5-3 victory for them,” Scragg said.

They will join Amber Dental Gisborne Girls' High School in the bottom-five women's final.

“Before the shootout, it was a thrilling match to decide that second finals spot.”

In the second match last night, Te Aowera defeated Waituhi 1-0 to advance to a Friday night playoff with GMC Kowhai for third and fourth in the women's bottom five.