Close results highlight of round

ON ATTACK: Andrew Carter, of YMP B, tries to take the ball past Jonny Hardie (right), of LOB NZ Fruits. Carter’s teammate Sean Gooch (left) is close at hand in case his help is needed. LOB NZ Fruits beat YMP B 2-1 in this game. Carter scored the YMP goal. Picture by Liam Clayton

HOCKEY

TIGHT wins to GMC Gold, Lytton Old Boys NZ Fruits and JNL Paikea, and a fighting loss for Gisborne Girls’ High School against women’s competition leaders GMC Green were highlights of club hockey at the weekend.

Sharon Bramwell, Jo Foster and Jess Howard scored the goals for GMC Gold in their 3-2 victory over GMC Kowhai.

Hockey commentator Tony Scragg said the result had thrown the door wide open in the women’s B grade competition.

“That was Kowhai’s first loss of the round, and well done GMC Gold,” he said.

“The result came as a bit of a shock.

“Even in their warm-ups, Kowhai looked confident.”

The resurgence shown by the new LOB NZ Fruits team was evident again on Saturday when they beat YMP B 2-1 in men’s hockey.

George Searle scored both goals for the Fruits.

“The winning goal came in the final play of the game, so the match was really close,” Scragg said.

“It shows that the Fruits have turned the corner, and can look forward to even better results.”

JNL Paikea took the points in a hard-fought match with Ben Holden Fencing Ngatapa.

The 1-0 scoreline was testament to how evenly poised the match was.

“Paikea scored the only goal in the final quarter but had many scoring opportunities throughout the rest of the match,” Scragg said.

In other action, GMC Green beat Girls’ High 4-0.

“The students played very well to contain the Green Machine to only four goals,” Scragg said.

“It was not until the second half that the Green team’s experience began to assert itself.”

YMP B defeated Roseland Tavern Te Aowera 4-0.

“But YMP only put them away after a surge of goals in the final quarter,” Scragg said.

The final match-up of the weekend was the men’s game between YMP A and the Masters and it was pretty much one-way traffic.

“YMP won the contest 21-2,” Scragg said.

“But the Masters were stoked to score twice against them.”

Detailed results —Women’s A Grade: GMC Green 4 (Maika Ackroyd, Amy England, Shannon Williams, Kelsey Teneti) Amber Dental Gisborne Girls’ High School 0; JNL Paikea 1 (Joanne Cumming) Ben Holden Fencing Ngatapa 0.

Women’s B Grade: YMP B 4 (Samantha Durston 2, Kellann Kemp, Chantelle Ribbon) Roseland Tavern Te Aowera 0; GMC Gold 3 (Sharon Bramwell, Jo Foster, Jess Howard) GMC Kowhai 2 (Marlene Nikora 2).

Men: YMP A 21 (Jereme Taylor 7, Tony Carpendale 6, Marshall Norris 4, Josh Cousins 2, Heath Tupara 2) LOB Masters 2 (David Preddey, Sam Hain); LOB NZ Fruits 2 (George Searle 2) YMP B 1 (Andrew Carter); THC 3 Gisborne Boys’ High School 0 (GBHS defaulted).