WOMEN'S HOCKEY: Rovers' solidarity decides the day

ANENDRA SINGH
The nice thing about teamwork is that you always have others on your side.
Former Black Sticks midfield maestro Caryn Paewai had that from her Akina Rovers Blue teammates on Saturday but current Black Stick Tara Drysdale, from her Palmerston North College Club side, didn't.
Consequently, the outcome on the final whistle of the women's Mid Central League match at the Kelt Capital Hockey Stadium was predictable, as the Blues defeated the visitors 5-2.
Paewai was outstanding in the vision, stickwork and agility department on the revamped Cape Physio water turf and many of the hockey faithful must be wondering why the sprightly player is absent from the beleaguered New Zealand women's ranks under Ian Rutledge's tutelage.
However, for elder sister and coach Keriana Paewai to entertain such individualistic attributes detracts from any benefits derived from a team-building exercise.
"Yeah, Caryn does have all those things and calls the shots out there but all my girls have good structure and know what they have to do," the coach said, highlighting the performance of her left half, Kim Pickering.
On the other hand, Drysdale's College had no officials, let alone reserves with the skilful centre half acknowledging coach Tony Spackman "couldn't make it" after their crushing 12-1 victory over Ratana in the first round.
"Spacky couldn't make it and we've lost a few seasoned players who have gone overseas," said Drysdale.
The visitors were almost devoid of attacking prowess, with only centre forward Bryonie Phillips showing some cohesiveness and support to capitalise on Drysdale's individual brilliance.
A "not 100 percent" unmarked left wing Jaimee Edwards found the net from the left upright in the seventh minute after fumbling College keeper Julie Alexander made a meal of a cross from Blues right wing Arnett Fergus.
Ten minutes later Edwards again showed a good rapport with centre forward Paewai as the senior player dribbled past two defenders for Edwards to flick it past Alexander.
A 10-2 scoreline from the previous weekend beckoned for the Blues but two minutes later any complacency was lost when Phillips, the sister-in-law of Black Sticks Sheree Phillips, received a pass from the edge of the circle from more Drysdale individual brilliance. Phillips' rising flick caught Edwards mother, Colleen, flat-footed in goal.
Stung into action, a vocal Paewai showed two minutes later that anything Drysdale could do she could emulate. Deftly dribbling from the halfway mark, Paewai took the Blues 3-1 up into the breather after 35 minutes of action.
Alexander made amends with body-and-all saves in the next half while College's left wing Jen Sayer was having a game to forget as she missed several sitters with just the keeper to outfox.
Absorbing all the pressure, the Drysdale-Phillips combination again came to the fore in the 47th minute from five metres inside the circle to narrow the margin to 3-2.
In the 51st minute, Pickering made some inroad for a sweeping pass with Paewai, with back to goal, cleverly deflecting the dimpled sphere past Alexander in goal to make it 4-2.
Eight minutes later Paewai's hat-trick dashed any hopes College had of a revival as the setting sun cast long shadows over the opponents' goal mouth.
Victory at any time is welcome but, like most practical coaches, Keriana Paewai agreed her girls weren't playing their best match.
"It's my girls' first real opposition but they weren't pushed," she told SportToday.
Akina were rusty in set-piece play, such as the penalty corner left inner Michelle O'Hara mistimed in the dying minutes, and their sluggish positional play needs to be sharper against better opposition.
That, however, is highly unlikely in their next home game against Ratana on August 12.