YMP made to work

GOTCHA NAN: Girls' High's Keeley Smiler (left) scored three goals against her nan's team Waituhi on Saturday, and in this shot the just-turned 15 year-old seems to have left grandmother Lois Smiler swinging at thin air with her stick. 'I am so very proud of her,' said Smiler senior. 'We niggled away nicely at each other all game. Keeley's awesome.' Picture by Paul Rickard

Defending women's champions YMP A were pressed hard by Ngatapa before opening their 2022 Poverty Bay club hockey campaign with victory at the weekend.

In the men's competition, reigning champions Lytton Old Boys had an easier start to their season — putting away Waituhi 5-0.

Ngatapa struck the opening blow when Kate Pahina scored in the women's match on the Hain Farming Turf at Harry Barker Reserve but YMP equalised just before the halftime break, then kicked into gear in the second spell for a 3-1 win.

“It was the closest result Ngatapa have ever been able to achieve against the powerful YMP outfit,” hockey commentator Tony Scragg said.

“It looks good for the country girls this season. They will be a team to watch.

“YMP always lay their season foundation right at the start. They looked strong.”

In other women's results, YMP B and Paikea fought out a close contest before it ended in a 4-3 win to the B girls.

“They went goal for goal initially, then YMP jumped out to a 4-2 lead late in the final quarter,” Scragg said. “Paikea pegged one back and it looked as if a grandstand finish was on, but YMP held them out.”

INA Contracting GMC Green started their season with a belter against Te Aowera, scoring 18 times without reply.

The big total included four goals to Tori Wharepapa, hat-tricks to Shannon Williams and Juliarna Mitchell and a brace to Jess Candy.

Six other “Green Machine” players got on the scoresheet.

“Tori has come over from Waituhi and obviously relished the opportunity to play around other premier players,” Scragg said. “It was a strong performance from GMC but credit to TA in the third quarter. They did not concede a penalty corner for the whole of that period of the game.”

Amber Dental Gisborne Girls' High School beat Waituhi convincingly 5-1, with Keeley Smiler scoring three times for the students against her grandmother Lois Smiler's team.

“It was the old cliché — a game of two halves,” Scragg said. “The students were up 5-0 at halftime and looked to be in cruise control. But Waituhi dug in and they will take away from the game the fact that they won the second half with their goal.”

The two men's games played were clear-cut victories for YMP A and Lytton Old Boys HPY Advisors (formerly “the Fruits”).

Defending men's champions LOB beat Waituhi 5-0, the goals scored by five different players.

“It was a solid performance by LOB in the first half when most of the goals were scored,” Scragg said. “So maybe their work-on will be maintaining that sort of pressure in the second half of their next game.”

YMP A trounced Covid-impacted Gisborne Boys' High School 12-1, with Tamanay Tuhou scoring four and player-coach James Torrie and Heath Tupara two apiece.

“There was a first-half blitz of goals by YMP A, and credit to the students, who conceded only a few goals in the second half of the game,” Scragg said.

Harry Hayward's goal for the students got the biggest cheer on a cold Friday night.

LOB Masters picked up maximum points against a depleted YMP B side, who defaulted.

Results — Women: YMP B 4 (Roschelle Koia 2, Sam Durston, Leah Tupara) Paikea 3 (Bronwyn O'Reilly, Joanne McLean, Holly Miller); Ngatapa 1 (Kate Pahina) YMP A 3 (Courtney Onekawa, Maia Rickard, Grace Kuil); INA Contracting GMC Green 18 (Tori Wharepapa 4, Shannon Williams 3, Juliarna Mitchell 3, Jess Candy 2, Julia Edwards, Amy England, Caroline Maclaurin, Bridget Sabich, Noeline Smith, Jade Stafford) Te Aowera 0; Amber Dental GGHS 5 (Keeley Smiler 3, Brooke Brown 2) Waituhi 1 (Ally Tamihere).

Men: GBHS 1 (Harry Hayward) YMP A 12 (Tamanay Tuhou 4, James Torrie 2, Heath Tupara 2, Thomas Rutene, Michael Bond, Hamish Swann, Jarrod Carter); LOB HPY Advisors 5 (Aaron Whitehead, Ethan Rogers, Elliot St John, Patrick Ferry, Mitchell Hodgetts) Waituhi 0.