LOB Traktion hockey clash with Gisborne Boys’ High could be game of the weekend in Poverty Bay

Gisborne Girls' High First XI's Poverty Bay club hockey game against GMC Kowhai on Saturday should be a good watch. Pictured from a game between the sides last year are (from left) Keeley Smiler, Krissy Hohepa, Chloe Kapene and Bella Swann. Photo / Paul Rickard

Gisborne Boys’ High First XI and LOB Traktion take centre stage in Poverty Bay club hockey games over the weekend.

A point separates them on the table at this early stage of the season, although the students have a game in hand.

That match looks set to be the game of the weekend on the Hain Farming Turf at Harry Barker Reserve.

The men’s table has unbeaten Laidlaw YMP A leading on 9 points (from 3 games), Lytton Paikea Sports Club LOB Traktion 4 (2 games), Gisborne Boys’ High 3 (2 games), Waituhi 1 (2 games) and LPSC Resene Masters 0 (2 games).

The action starts tonight (Friday) at 6pm when Waituhi men meet LPSC Resene Masters.

“There’s a Friday night hockey game this week because Lytton Paikea Sports Club (LPSC) have a club function on this weekend,” Poverty Bay hockey operations manager Louise Teneti said.

“I would suggest Waituhi will have the edge over the Masters, who are struggling with a couple of injuries.

“It’s a good opportunity for Waituhi to work on some attacking form.”

The 12.30pm game on Saturday between Boys’ High and Traktion should be a close one.

“It will be action-packed,” Teneti said. “Boys’ High are playing some nice hockey.

“The outcome will be a matter of legs versus heads – the students’ fitness against the experienced minds of Traktion.”

The women take over the turf after that.

At 2pm, Gisborne Girls’ High School First XI will be looking for their first points of the season, as will their opponents, GMC Kowhai.

Both sides are pointless at the bottom of the table – Kowhai have a superior points differential of -8 to Girls’ High’s -18 – although Kowhai have played one more game.

“I think this is going to be a nice game between the two of them,” Teneti said. “They are evenly matched, and again it will be a matter of legs against minds.”

At 3.30pm, reigning champions GMC Green and PGG Wrightson Ngatapa go into their match on the same points on the women’s table, both sides having won their two games so far.

The Green Machine lead on points differential, having scored 17 goals and conceded none to Ngatapa’s 5 goals for and 1 against.

“At this point, GMC Green probably have the better strike power,” Teneti said.

“Ngatapa need to find a bit more going forward, get the ball up to their strikers and get it into the net.

“The Green Machine, on the other hand, are tracking nicely and just need to continue building their season.”