YMP men, GMC Green women top table in round 2 of Poverty Bay club hockey

GMC Green's Heni-Kamaia Thompson (left) and Ngatapa's Elise Levy duel for the ball in a Poverty Bay women's club hockey game last season. Levy was among the goalscorers in their 4-0 win over Gisborne Girls' High First XI on Saturday, while reigning champions GMC put six past Paikea without reply. Photo / Paul Rickard

Round 2 of the Poverty Bay club hockey competition ended at the weekend with victories to YMP A, GMC Green, Gisborne Boys’ High School First XI and Ngatapa.

Reigning champions Laidlaw YMP A finished top with the maximum 12 points, followed by Boys’ High on nine, Lytton Paikea Sports Club LOB Traktion six, Waituhi three and LPSC Resene Masters zero points.

Defending champs GMC Green head the women’s division on 12, wth PGG Wrightson Ngatapa seven (goal differential of +5), LPSC Emerre and Hathaway Paikea seven (-2), GMC Kowhai one (-14) and Gisborne Girls’ High School First XI one (-16).

The points from round 2 are carried into round 3, which starts this weekend.

In last weekend’s games, YMP predictably accounted for the Masters by a wide margin in a Friday night clash. They thumped home 13 goals while the Masters replied with one.

“YMP A dominated from the outset, but the Masters were real happy to score one of their own [to Derek Peach] against us,” PB Hockey chairman and YMP player Kohere Tupara said.

“Our team were well-pleased to finish the second round without a loss and to remain unbeaten this season.”

The YMP goals were shared around, including a hat-trick to Matty Waikari and doubles to Tamanay Tuhou, Chris Fox, James Torrie and Wiriata Tarawa.

On Saturday, Boys’ High School were not at their best, but still managed to account for a gritty Waituhi 5-1.

Ollie Egan banged in another three goals for the students, who head to Palmerston North on Sunday for their annual Super 8 competition.

“I think Waituhi will have been pleased to keep Boys’ High to five goals and to have scored one themselves,” Tupara said.

“Boys’ High will take the win, but will want to improve on that performance heading towards the business end of the season.”

GMC Green remained unbeaten and kept another clean sheet in a 6-0 win over Paikea that featured a hat-trick to Jade Stafford.

“The Green Machine produced a solid victory,” Tupara said. “Paikea did well to make them work hard for their goals, but GMC proved too strong.”

Ngatapa outgunned Girls’ High 4-0, with Kate Pahina scoring twice.

“I think the students did really well to hold Ngatapa to four goals,” Tupara said. “But Ngatapa never looked like losing and they controlled the game.

“It was awesome, though, to see the Girls’ High side on the improve.”

This weekend, Traktion play the Masters and Waituhi face YMP in the men’s competition.

Girls’ High are up against GMC Kowhai and Ngatapa take on Paikea.

PB hockey operations manager Louise Teneti said round 3 would feature a double-header for all teams to fit in four games.

“The women’s double-header will be Thursday, July 31, and the men’s on August 7.

“After the final round 3 games on August 16, we will head to finals – 1 v 2 for the premier finals on August 23, 3 v 4 for the B grade finals also on August 23.

“The fifth teams from the men’s and women’s grades will be out of finals, but may like to play a friendly on August 22.”

POVERTY BAY HOCKEY SCOREBOARD

Men’s competition

Laidlaw YMP A 13 (Matty Waikari 3 goals, Tamanay Tuhou 2, Chris Fox 2, James Torrie 2, Wiriata Tarawa 2, Kyle Tupara, Kohere Tupara) LPSC Resene Masters 1 (Derek Peach).

Gisborne Boys’ High First XI 5 (Ollie Egan 3, Sam Matthews, Caleb Taewa) Waituhi 1 (Graham Edmonds).

Women’s competition

PGG Wrightson Ngatapa 4 (Kate Pahina 2, Briar Robb, Elise Levy) Gisborne Girls’ High First XI 0.

GMC Green 6 (Jade Stafford 2, Jess Candy, Anna Manning, Jade Martin, Tori Wharepapa) LPSC Paikea 0.