“YMP are now certainly the team to beat in that women’s competition,” Scragg said.
Ben Holden Fencing Ngatapa stepped up a notch in their performance over the well-performed Gisborne Girls’ High School outfit on Saturday. They won 3-2 in what turned out to be the game of the weekend.
Ngatapa took a 2-0 lead into halftime.
“But we were wary of what Girls’ High did the week before, and sure enough they equalised very quickly once the second half started,” said Scragg, who co-coaches Ngatapa.
“Jamie Humphreys scored the winner with just five seconds on the clock.
“If that was Ngatapa’s get-out-of-jail-free card for the season, then they have used it.
“Girls’ High played really well and deserve to be in a top-five women’s competition.”
The persistent rain late on Saturday made for tough playing conditions and credit goes to the teams who battled on in it.
Gisborne Boys’ High School would have got some confidence back with a good 2-1 win against Lytton Old Boys B.
“It was a gutsy effort from the students, who are showing good improvement week by week,” Scragg said.
“The other men’s sides must be wary of them.”
Paikea produced a strong showing in their 5-0 defeat of GMC Kowhai.
“That was a surprise scoreline,” Scragg said.
“Paikea played well and are tracking for a top-five finish.”
Te Aowera battled on bravely in their 2-1 loss to GMC Gold.
“They could easily have drawn that match,” Scragg said.
“TA got heaps of penalty corners in the final quarter, which shows how much pressure they put on the Gold team.
“Unfortunately for them, they were unable to convert any of them. I think TA are the fast improvers of the women’s competition, and good on them.”
YMP A made no race of their clash with their B team in the men’s competition.
The 15-2 scoreline included seven goals to sharpshooter Jarrod Carter.
“YMP A held nothing back on their clubmates, and got some really good goalscoring practice,” Scragg said.
“I think that attacking display was a message to high-flying THC.”
Scores —
Senior women: JNL Paikea 5 (Tineille Charteris 2, Amber Church, Joanne Cumming, Kristin Kirkpatrick) GMC Kowhai 0.
YMP A 4 (Courtney Onekawa 3, Caitlyn Richards) GMC Green 1 (Kelsey Teneti).
GMC GOLD 2 (Sharon Bramwell, Vicki Williams) Te Aowera 1 (Erana Taiapa).
Ben Holden Ngatapa 3 (Jamie Humphreys 2, Briar Hunter) Amber Dental Gisborne Girls’ High School 2 (Ngahuia Wilson 2).
Senior men: LOB A 5 (Neal Ebbett 3, Derek Peach, George Searle) LOB Masters 1 (Matt Skuse).
Gisborne Boys’ High School 2 (Kingi Ormond 2) LOB B 1 (Danny Kirk).
YMP A 15 (Jarrod Carter 7, Thomas Rutene 2, Josh Cousins 2, Andy Church 2, Jereme Taylor, Kohere Tupara) YMP B 2 (Lyle Taylor, Mike Bond).
