Hockey: Cards fly in opening match

Hawke's Bay's Shannel Tamati-Herrick (left), and Hong Kong's Nadine Greter tussle for possession during the Bay's 2-1 win in Napier last night. Photo / Paul Taylor

If you're going to select an "outside player" they need to be good.

Hawke's Bay senior women's hockey coach Iain Taylor and his troops were toasting their sole "outside player", former Black Sticks rep Cathryn Pollock, after she scored the winning goal in a 2-1 victory against Hong Kong at Napier's Park Island last night. This was the Bay's opening game in the Affiliates Tournament, the first event of the Hawke's Bay Festival of Hockey, which continues until April 19.

"You're allowed as many outside players as you like but we opted to go with players who have a connection to the Bay. Cathryn is the only one who doesn't," Taylor explained.

Horowhenua-based Pollock (nee Finlayson) scored the winning goal with 10 minutes remaining in the Park Island encounter. Striker Tori Avison scored the Bay's first goal in the 18th minute and Hong Kong equalised just before halftime.

Taylor said cards flew as the tension mounted towards the end of the match. Three Hong Kong players and two of his own were green carded.

Along with Pollock, fellow former Black Sticks player Caryn Paewai, and fellow midfielders Chelsea Hepi and Helaina Snell, a Hawke's Bay age group product who now attends Otago University, were full of authority. Both of the Bay's goalies, Soleil Fletcher and Tessa Gregory-Hunt, made some memorable saves.

Hawke's Bay-raised former New Zealand striker Tina Bell-Kake, who is Hong Kong's player-coach, opted not to play last night.

Earlier yesterday Hong Kong opened the tournament with a 2-1 win against the New Zealand Indians. The New Zealand Seniors XI beat the New Zealand Maori team 4-2 in the other women's fixture.

Hastings Boys' High School forward Logan Gill scored a hat-trick as the Hawke's Bay men opened their campaign with a 7-3 win against the New Zealand Indians. The Bay's assistant coach Dean Hulls said the hosts took an early 2-0 lead but, when they focused on fast, attacking hockey, they forgot to defend and allowed the Indians to tie the score at 2-all before the halftime whistle.

"At halftime we spoke about the need to change our shape and our senior and more experienced players stepped up in the second half," Hulls said.

Captain and centre half Joe Hanks, a member of the Black Sticks Development squad, forward-midfielder Ryan Cosgrove, an NHL player last year, and Hawke's Bay Masters 40plus team player-coach Graeme Findlay, who scored the final two goals, led by example.

Cosgrove and Regan Hughes scored the Bay's other goals. Hulls and head coach Doug Mills will be looking for improved defensive work when they take on New Zealand Maori today.

Yesterday's other men's match saw New Zealand Maori beat the NZ Seniors XI 3-2.