“They struggled for the first quarter.
“But once they got their first goal their confidence grew and grew, and they never looked like slipping back.
“The win booked the Fruits a place in the men's grand final the weekend after next.”
YMP will play Gisborne Boys' High School in the semifinals on Saturday to determine who will join the Fruits in the A Grade men's final.
The women's quarterfinals were thrillers, too. YMP again showed their form with a 3-1 victory over GMC Green.
“YMP deserve their spot straight through to the grand final after a very consistent season,” Scragg said.
“The Green Machine can still join them, and defend their title, but YMP are looking like a classy act.
“It's going to take a very good performance to deny them the title.”
GMC Green play Gisborne Girls' High School on Saturday to decide the other A Grade women's grand finalists.
In the other A Grade women's quarterfinal, Ngatapa and Amber Dental Gisborne Girls' High School fought out a 2-2 draw in normal time, and Girls' High won the penalty shootout.
“Ngatapa missed a couple of late chances that could have won it for them,” Scragg said.
“Both goalkeepers deserve credit for their performances under pressure. It took all 10 stroke-takers to decide it.”
It was almost the same story in the Paikea-Waituhi clash in the women's B Grade quarterfinals.
The sides were locked at 1-1 after normal time, and Paikea won the shootout.
“Waituhi took the early lead in normal time and Paikea equalised midway through the second half,” Scragg said.
“Paikea were more accurate in the shootout and that settled it.”
In a major upset, Te Aowera — who had languished at the tail end of the points table all season — got up to beat GMC Kowhai 1-0 in the other women's B Grade quarterfinal.
“GMC Kowhai threw everything at TA, but TA had a reply for everything,” Scragg said.
Te Aowera scored in the second half to advance to the semifinals, where they will play Waituhi on Saturday to decide who will join Paikea in the women's B Grade final.
In a men's B Grade decider, Waituhi made short work of LOB Masters, their 9-0 win led by a double-brace to Tamanay Tuhou.
“That means Waituhi will go to the men's B Grade final, and the Masters will play YMP B on Saturday to find the other finalists,” Scragg said.
“The Masters would have been happy with the halftime score of 1-0. If only the game could have finished then.”
All the semifinals will be played on Saturday.
Results —
Women, A Grade quarterfinals: YMP 3 (Toni Halley 3) GMC Green 1 (Beth Torrie); Ngatapa 2 (Kate Pahina 2) Gisborne Girls' High School 2 (Keeley Smiler, Tiari Pepere) penalty shootout — Ngatapa, Emily Willock 1 during penalty shootout; GGHS, Tiari Pepere 2 during penalty shootout. GGHS won 4-3.
B Grade quarterfinals: GMC Kowhai 0 Te Aowera 1 (Lillian Hema); Paikea 1(Jade Lister-Baty) Waituhi 1 (Kayla Hornblow) penalty shootout — Paikea 3 (Joanne McLean, Kimberley Morete, Jo Cummings) Waituhi 1 (Tori Wharepapa) Paikea won 4-2.
Men, A Grade quarterfinal: LOB NZ Fruits 3 (Liam Melville 2, David Melville) YMP A 1 (Hamish Swann).
B Grade quarterfinal: Waituhi 9 (Tam Tuhou 4, Aubrey Brown, Tegan Brown, Henry Mohi, Graham Edmonds, Piri Orotaunga) LOB Masters 0.
