Poverty Bay club hockey looking like one-way traffic in Gisborne this weekend

Ngatapa and GMC Green, pictured in a 2024 match, look set to rack up the goals in their respective Poverty Bay women's club hockey clashes on the Hain Farming Turf at Harry Barker Reserve on Saturday. Photo / Paul Rickard

Stranger things have happened, but it is going to take massive performances to turn the form book upside down in Poverty Bay club hockey games this weekend.

It starts at 6pm tomorrow on the Hain Farming Turf at Harry Barker Reserve when LPSC Resene Masters come up against the unbeaten Laidlaw YMP.

“This should be a one-sided affair to start the weekend,” Poverty Bay Hockey chairman Kohere Tupara said.

“YMP will be keen to maintain their unbeaten run. The Masters have a big shift in front of them.”

The round 1 clash between the sides ended in a 10-1 win to YMP ... keeping it to single figures will be the challenge.

The Saturday programme starts with a women’s game at 12.30pm between PGG Wrightson Ngatapa and Gisborne Girls’ High School First XI.

The country side scored six goals against GMC Kowhai last weekend and the goals were shared around the players, showing the depth and variety they have on attack.

The students will need to be well and truly on their guard defensively to stay in it.

Tupara said Girls’ High would put up a good fight.

“But I think Ngatapa will be too strong.”

Reigning women’s champions GMC Green, undefeated this season, take the turf against Lytton Paikea Sports Club Emerre and Hathaway Paikea at 2pm.

“Paikea will take the form they showed in the previous weekend’s result against GMC Kowhai into the game,” Tupara said. “They will want to build on it as we head towards the business end of the season. But I think we can expect the Green Machine to be too strong for them.”

Paikea could take inspiration from having run GMC the closest this year – losing 4-1 in round 1.

The men hit the turf after that clash, with Gisborne Boys’ High School First XI taking on Waituhi at 3.30pm.

Boys’ High are looking to consolidate second spot on the table.

“The students will want to continue building towards the finals and will look to build on the fine form they have been showing,” Tupara said.

Waituhi will need to quell an on-fire Ollie Egan, although at full strength, Boys’ High have several others more than capable of finding the back of the net.

Heading into the weekend, YMP have nine second-round points banked, Boys’ High are on six, LPSC LOB Traktion six, Waituhi three and the Masters zero.

In the women’s competition, GMC Green are on nine, Paikea seven, Ngatapa four, Girls’ High one and GMC Kowhai one.

GMC Kowhai and Traktion have byes this weekend.