Two close finishes

WATCH OUT BELOW: YMP A’s James Torrie looks to avoid Waituhi’s Tamanay Tuhou (left) and the stick of Henry Mohi in Poverty Bay men’s club hockey action on the turf at Harry Barker Reserve. Tuhou got a goal but that was it as YMP won 4-1. Picture by Paul Rickard

HOCKEY

GMC Green started their A grade round one hockey campaign with a one goal winning margin over Ngatapa from which the country team would have taken considerable heart.

The Green Machine won it by the narrow margin of three goals to two.

“Ngatapa were up by two goals to nil in the second quarter before GMC scored just before the half time break,” said hockey commentator Tony Scragg.

“Two quick goals to GMC in the third quarter got them in front, and Ngatapa just could not peg that one goal lead back.

“Either way it was a great game to start our round last weekend.”

The women’s B Grade featured a close tussle between Waituhi and GMC Kowhai, that Waituhi won 2-1.

“It was nil-all at half time, then Waituhi scored one and GMC replied really quickly,” Scragg said.

“It took a last quarter goal by Waituhi to settle it.

“Their vocal supporters on the sideline made sure their team got the support they needed. They were in full voice.”

YMP stamped their class all over the A grade with an 8-1 victory over Amber Dental Gisborne Girls’ High School.

“It was a slow start for YMP and they led by just a goal at the end of the first period.

“But then the flood gates opened and YMP showed their class.”

In the other women’s B grade game Paikea were seven goals to nil too good for Te Aowera.

“That scoreline did not reflect the defensive effort of TA. They tried hard enough, but Paikea threw so much at them in the last quarter,” Scragg said.

The closest of the men’s games as it turned out was the 4-3 win by YMP B over LOB Masters.

“The Masters will reflect on what happened in that game, because they held 3-1, before YMP B stormed past them.”

The LOB NZ Fruits were six goals to nil too good for Gisborne Boys’ High School.

“It was a game of two halves. It was nil all at half time, but in the second period the Fruits got on top, after a stern chat at half-time from their coach Matt King.

“The students should focus on how well they played in the first half, going forward this season,” Scragg said.

In what was predicted to be the game of the men’s round YMP A beat Waituhi 4-1.

“The result showed the class of YMP,” Scragg said.

“Not at any stage did it look like they were going to let the game slip away from them.”

GMC Green 3 (Megan Allen, Amy England & Jess Candy) Ngatapa 2 (Elise Levy & Kate Pahina). YMP 8 (Courtney Onekawa 3, Lucy McHugh 2, Nancy Tarawa, Madison Savage and Hine Brooking 1) GGHS 1 (Chloe Kapene).

Waituhi 2 (Tori Wharepapa, Marlene Nikora) GMC Kowhai 1 (Georgia Craig). Paikea 7 (Laura Matthew 3, Jo Cumming 2, Joanne McLean, Taimania Clark) Te Aowera 0.

LOB NZ Fruits 6 (Oliver Shivnan 2, Liam Melville, Jayden McKay, Sean Wills and Jed Skuse 1) GBHS 0.

YMP B 4 (Hanoa Morete, David Mackey, Andrew Carter, Jason Akuhata-Brown) LOB Masters 3 (David Preddy 2, Terry Thomas). YMP A 4 (Michael Bond 2, Heath Tupara, Joshua Lardelli) Waituhi 1 (Tam Tuhou).

Campion Gold 1 (Bjorn Raroa-Haraki) GGHS 2nd XI 0. Whatatutu 0 GBHS Black 4 (Aiden Scragg 2, Harry Allen and Oliver Cranefield 1). Campion Green 4 (Alesha Batisaresare, Luke Hurlstone, David Levy and Cole Manson 1) GBHS 2nd XI 1 (Jed Skuse).