Traktion draw sets up Saturday club hockey thriller against Gisborne Boys’ High

LPSC clubmates LOB Traktion and Resene Masters, pictured in a recent Poverty Bay men's club hockey game, were in separate action on Thursday night. Traktion drew with reigning champions YMP, while the Masters lost heavily to Gisborne Boys' High School First XI. Traktion face a must-win game against Boys' High on Saturday in their bid to make the final.

The mission is black and white for LPSC LOB Traktion heading into their Poverty Bay men’s club hockey clash with Gisborne Boys’ High School First XI on Saturday ... win.

A sensational 3-all draw with defending champions Laidlaw YMP on the Hain Farming Turf at Harry Barker Reserve on Thursday night made the situation crystal clear for Traktion.

The one point lifted them to 13 points on the table, one ahead of Boys’ High, who thumped Lytton Paikea Sports Club Resene Masters 13-2 in the later Thursday game.

Traktion have only one game left in round 3, while Boys’ High have two.

A win over the students in their 3.30pm Saturday match-up will book Traktion a place in the final against top-of-the-table YMP.

A draw would probably not be enough. It would mean GBHS would need to either draw or win their last game against Waituhi, whom they have comfortably beaten all season.

Traktion’s efforts against YMP meant it was the first time this season the reigning champs have walked off the turf without the maximum points.

“The YMP-Traktion game was a tightly contested match that went goal-for-goal,” Poverty Bay hockey chairman and YMP team member Kohere Tupara said.

“It makes Saturday afternoon’s game between the students and Traktion even more exciting.”

The goals Boys’ High scored against Masters – including six to the 2025 competition’s most prolific striker Ollie Egan – gave them a superior goal difference over Traktion should the final qualifying situation come to that.

“It was an emphatic win, as was expected,” Tupara said. “The result shows the firepower Boys’ High have in the attacking circle.

“The Masters, on the other hand, would have been pleased to get a couple of their own.”