Hockey champions THC begin their bid to lead competition tonight

BACK IN ACTION: Andy Church of YMP A puts THC’s Ashwin Ramji under pressure in last year’s Poverty Bay men’s club hockey final on the LJ Hooker Turf at Harry Barker Reserve. Both teams are back in action this weekend.File picture, by Liam Clayton

Defending Poverty Bay men’s hockey champions THC will look to pick up where they left off when they begin their 2018 campaign on the LJ Hooker Turf at Harry Barker Reserve tonight.

The season opens tonight and tomorrow afternoon with seven matches.

Lytton Old Boys B play THC at 7.30pm tonight and can expect to be in the firing line.

“THC look like they have a lot of their old regulars back, whereas the LOB side have a new look about them,” hockey commentator Tony Scragg said.

“This could be our first double-figure result of the season.”

The 2018 competition begins at 6pm tonight when Gisborne Boys’ High School play LOB Masters.

“Boys’ High coach Stu Hockey has not lost too many players from last year, and last year’s team developed nicely,” Scragg said.

“They look to be quite a competitive team and tonight’s game is a chance to get their first ‘tick’ on their report card.”

Tomorrow's five games begin at middayThe five games tomorrow begin at midday, with defending women’s champions YMP A playing GMC Kowhai.

“YMP A will put out another very competitive team and Kowhai will need all hands on deck to stay with them,” Scragg said.

“Kowhai will compete, but YMP will no doubt look to establish a good playing platform early to take charge of the game.”

At 1.45pm, Te Aowera play Ben Holden Fencing Ngatapa.

“Ngatapa should be too strong for TA but, having said that, I think TA were the fast improvers at the back end of last season. It remains to be seen if they can get into the same groove.”

At 3.30pm, YMP B will play GMC Gold.

“That could be the closest game of the round,” Scragg said.

“You have two evenly matched teams who will want to start the season strongly.”

At 5.15pm, Amber Dental Gisborne Girls’ High School play JNL Paikea.

“It should be another close game,” Scragg said.

“Girls’ High have a few new players and clearly some talent is coming through.

“Paikea will miss their workhorse Jo Cumming, who is on umpire duties at the Commonweath Games, but I am sure Amber Church will step up for them.”

The final match of the round, at 7pm tomorrow, promises to be a beauty.

Men’s championship runners-up YMP A and Lytton Old Boys A should produce another classic.

“YMP A showed in the opening tournament two weeks ago that they have talent to burn; they won that tournament well,” Scragg said.

“Lytton Old Boys A have quite a few new combinations and I think it will take them a few games to settle.

“It will certainly be a hard-fought match.”

Scragg said it was great to have the 2018 competition under way.

“Everyone’s excited about it and really looking forward to getting out on the turf.”