YMP win game but GMC top women’s table

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

GMC Green lost to YMP A last night but still finished on top of the table in Gisborne women’s hockey.

YMP A won the exciting final round-robin match 2-0 on the LJ Hooker Turf, in front of a large crowd at Harry Barker Reserve.

“YMP really dug deep and their defence was outstanding,” hockey commentator Tony Scragg said.

Both teams finished on the same number of points, and both had the same goals-for-and-against record, so it came down to who had scored more goals in the second round to decide first and second.

“It means YMP will play Paikea and the Green Machine will play Ben Holden Fencing Ngatapa next weekend to decide who goes through to the premier women’s final,” Scragg said.

In the other women’s match last night Paikea defeated Ngatapa 2-1.

“It was a nice close game in which Paikea scored twice in the first half and Ngatapa pegged one back early in the third quarter,” Scragg said.

“It was a very good effort by Paikea and Ngatapa played well, too.”

On Thursday night Gisborne Boys’ High School booked themselves a spot in the senior men’s final, and gave themselves a chance to defend their title in that division.

They beat NZ Fruits Lytton Old Boys B 5-2.

“Boys’ High stamped their mark on that game, and well done to them after the tough week they had in the Super 8 secondary schools competition,” Scragg said.

“Their coach, Stu Hockey, had a big smile on his dial afterwards.”

YMP B beat LOB Masters 2-1 in the sudden-death Thursday night fixture. That ends the Masters’ season.

“YMP led 2-0 in the first quarter and we thought the floodgates would open, but they didn’t,” Masters player Scragg said.

“We got a goal back just before halftime, and pretty much dominated the second half.

“But we could not score again and YMP were deserved winners.”

The playoffs were to continue at Harry Barker Reserve this afternoon.