‘Sudden death’ for one team

DRESS REHEARSAL: Kate Blakeman, of YMP A, and Caroline Maclaurin, of GMC Green, clash in women’s club hockey in May. YMP play Gisborne Girls’ High School on Saturday for the right to meet GMC Green the following week. File picture by Paul Rickard

HOCKEY

THE hockey season ends for either Paikea or Ngatapa on Saturday, and it would be a brave pundit who would predict how that might go.

Matches between these sides have been extremely tight this season.

JNL Paikea and Ben Holden Fencing Ngatapa meet in their women’s A Grade “sudden-death” game on the LJ Hooker Turf at Harry Barker Reserve at 1.45pm on Saturday.

Paikea finished fourth after round-robin play and Ngatapa, fifth.

They have met twice this season and Paikea won both times, but only by a single goal.

In their clash in late April, Paikea won a classic contest 6-5, and in early July they won a hard-fought battle 1-0.

The extra intensity of playoffs hockey will add even more spice to what is already a knife-edge, too-close-to-call contest.

In the other A Grade playoff, second-placed YMP A meet third-placed Amber Dental Gisborne Girls’ High School at midday on Saturday.

The winners move on to meet top-of-the-table GMC GreenThe winners move on to meet top-of-the-table GMC Green next weekend, who watch from the wings this weekend.

The losers will play the winners of the Paikea-Ngatapa match.

Defending champions YMP A would take Girls’ High lightly at their peril tomorrow.

In a tight 4-2 loss to GMC Green last month, Girls High’ showed they could foot it with the best in the grade.

However, a reasonably educated commentator would pick a YMP A victory.

This weekend will be the final round of games for the men and B Grade women ahead of their playoffs.

The senior men start the weekend programme at 6pm tomorrow night when Lytton Old Boys NZ Fruits play the LOB Masters, and the Masters would go in as slight favourites.

In two games between these teams this season, the Masters have won 3-1 and 4-3.

That’s not a huge advantage looking ahead to tomorrow night, but probably some sort of an edge.

In the other Friday night game, at 7.30pm, Gisborne Boys’ High School play YMP B. The students would be favoured after their two 3-2 wins against YMP seconds this season.

But a good, even contest should be in the offing.

Match of the weekend could be the 3.30pm Saturday clash between YMP A and THC.

YMP A have had the wood on THC so far this season and it is difficult to see that changing tomorrow.

YMP should be too good for them but, then again, this is the end of the season when results really count.

Highlight of the women’s B Grade final round-robin games will be the GMC Kowhai-YMP B clash at 5.15pm on Saturday.

Kowhai beat YMP B 5-1 last time out and another strong performance can be expected.

Wrapping up the weekend play will be the game between GMC Gold and Roseland Tavern Te Aowera at 7pm on Saturday.

Gold have been on a roll with four wins on the trot, and should make it five on Saturday night.