Upset win for Ngatapa against ‘Green Machine’

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

NGATAPA pulled off one of the upsets of the season when they beat GMC Green 2-0 in Poverty Bay senior women’s hockey last night.

Jamie Humphreys opened the scoring 30 seconds before halftime.

Midway through the second half, Katie Herries scored the second goal with a fantastic “tomahawk” — a reverse shot with the edge of the stick, made with a left-hander’s swing.

“I am very proud of the girls,” an ecstatic Ben Holding Fencing Ngatapa coach Tony Scragg said today.

“They worked together as a team last night and did a fantastic job marking their opposition players.

“They basicially shut GMC out of the game by doing that as well as they did.”

Scragg said the “Green Machine” had their opportunities to score but the Ngatapa defence held them out.

“It was a hell of a game.”

If Ngatapa can beat or draw with GMC Kowhai next weekend they will make the top three.

“The whole team would be very happy about that,” Scragg said.

In the other match on the LJ Hooker turf at Harry Barker Reserve last night, GMC Kowhai beat Paikea 5-3.

“Paikea had only nine players so they did really well to stay with Kowhai the way they did,” Scragg said.

“Kowhai kept the lead throughout but were made to work very hard for the result by their depleted opponents.

“It was a fine effort by Paikea.”

The round continues tonight with a blockbuster men’s match between YMP A and THC.

These teams drew last time they met.

“Tonight’s match at 6pm will be just as tight, I am picking,” Scragg said.

In the 7.30pm game, LOB A play Gisborne Boys’ High School.