Arch-rivals to clash in Poverty Bay club hockey game of the weekend

Ngātapa's Mackenzie Cassie chases Gisborne Girls' High first XI player Klara Pauwels in the opening weekend of Poverty Bay club hockey. Ngātapa won this game and will be eyeing making it two in a row when they take on GMC Kowhai tomorrow. The students are in action tonight. Photo / Liam Clayton

A replay of last year’s Premier Women’s hockey final between champions GMC Green and YMP A promises to be the game of the round in Poverty Bay club hockey.

The long-time arch-rivals take on each other from 3.30pm tomorrow on the Hain Farming Turf at Harry Barker Reserve.

“It’s always interesting to get a sneak peek of both these teams at this end of the season,” hockey commentator Tony Scragg said.

“The Green Machine piled on the goals against Kowhai last Friday night.

“They have demonstrated strong early-season form, but everyone knows YMP A are an amazing side and they always lift when they play GMC Green.

“It’s a tough one to pick either way at this early stage of our 2024 season,” Scragg said.

Week two opens at 6pm tonight with a women’s clash between Lytton Paikea Sports Club (LPSA) and the Gisborne Girls’ High School first XI.

“Paikea showed good resilience last week in their narrow loss to YMP A, and they might well get up tonight for the three points.”

That game will be followed at 7.30pm by a men’s match between LPSC Resene Masters and Waituhi.

“It was a defensive effort from the Masters [against YMP A] last weekend, and I think they can expect the same again tonight.”

On Saturday, LPSC Traktion and the Gisborne Boys’ High School first XI are to get the ball rolling from 12.30pm.

“That’s the men’s game of the round,” Scragg said.

“Traktion scraped through over YMP B last weekend, and they meet a student outfit that looks to be gaining steadily in confidence.

“A single goal might separate them tomorrow.”

At 2pm, the YMP A men play their B team in what Scragg said “should be a fairly one-sided affair”.

“The A team got into double figures last weekend and should do so again.

“There’s no love lost between clubmates, as we saw last weekend when GMC Green blitzed GMC Kowhai 17-nil.”

The final game of the weekend (at 5pm) pits the Ngātapa women against GMC Kowhai.

“The country team look set to record their second win against a Kowhai side who will probably struggle against them.”