Solid wins a highlight

CLOSE CONTEST: Lillian Hema (left), of Te Aowera, and Arna Searle, of GMC Kowhai, contest possession in a match that ended in a 2-2 draw. Picture by Paul Rickard

HOCKEY

SOLID wins to Gisborne Girls’ High School and GMC Gold, and Te Aowera’s first played competition points of the season were highlights of women’s hockey on the turf at Harry Barker Reserve at the weekend.

A big win by YMP B against Lytton Old Boys Masters was the pick of the men’s results.

Amber Dental Gisborne Girls’ High beat Ben Holden Fencing Ngatapa 4-0 in their women’s A Grade clash.

“The win means Girls’ High have two lives in the playoffs the weekend after next,” hockey commentator Tony Scragg said.

“The students were just too good for Ngatapa once they got going.”

GMC Gold racked up their fourth win on the trot when they scored five unanswered goals against YMP B in the women’s B Grade.

“It was an outstanding effort by Gold,” Scragg said.

“They look unbeatable at the moment and a high scoreline like that will make the other lower-grade teams really wary of them.”

Roseland Tavern Te Aowera pulled off one of the upset results of the season when they drew 2-2 with GMC Kowhai.

TA picked up points earlier in the season in default situations, but on Saturday they played and scored the points for a shared result.

“Hats off to TA for that result,” Scragg said.

“It has been coming for a while. They always go out to be competitive and give it their best.

“On Saturday their best was good enough for a draw, and against Kowhai that’s a terrific result.”

The clash between YMP B and LOB Masters produced a different contest from the close one predicted.

YMP B won the match 8-2.

“The bubble burst for the Masters on Saturday,” Scragg said.

“They had previously beaten YMP B and on Saturday they just were not in it.”

In the other results, YMP A made short work of JNL Paikea, winning 8-0.

“It was a convincing victory for YMP A, and a good way for them to make their mark again in the competition,” he said.

“That result links Paikea up with a sudden death semifinal against Ngatapa the weekend after next.”

THC were dominant against LOB NZ Fruits, winning 9-3.

“It was a loss for the Fruits, and a heavy one, but they would have been quite happy to have scored three goals of their own,” Scragg said.

YMP A were way too good for Gisborne Boys’ High School in a 16-1 result.

“That keeps the dominant force going in the YMP A side, but it was good to see the students keep the scoreline lower than the last time they played YMP A.”

Detailed results —

Women — A Grade: YMP A 8 (Dannell Tuhou 1, Courtney Onekawa and Nancy-Rae Tarawa 3 each, Toni Halley 1) JNL Paikea 0; Amber Dental GGHS 4 (Sophie Petro, Oaklea Bowden-Morris, Tiari-Awhina Pepere and Heni Thompson 1 each) Ben Holden Fencing Ngatapa 0.

B Grade: GMC Gold 5 (Sharon Bramwell 1, Andrea Hills 2, Jonette Rudge and Tina Smallman 1 each) YMP B 0; GMC Kowhai 2 Roseland Tavern Te Aowera 2 (Rawyn Maxwell and Lillian Hema 1 each) GMC Kowhai (Anita Howard 2).

Men: THC 9 (Treyson Hikitapu-Wilson 1, Tam Tuhou 2, Chris Fox 5, George Whitehead 1) LOB NZ Fruits 3 (Henry Watson 2, George Searle 1); YMP B 8 (Joshua Lardelli 1, Richard Haraki 2, David Mackey 4, Andrew Carter 1) LOB Masters 2 (David Preddey and Matt Skuse); YMP A 16 (Michael Bond 3, Jarred Carter 2, Jereme Taylor 4, Heath Tupara 3, Kohere Tupara 4) GBHS 1 (Oliver Cranefield).