Dalefield stars in shield win

NATIONAL SUCCESS: A happy Dalefield quintet with the Challenge Shield, Rowan Yeo (left), Ben Van Woerkom, Dane Lett, Trent Lett and Nick Finlayson. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

DALEFIELD had a big part to play when Capital won the national league men's hockey title at Whangarei.

Five players from the Dalefield squad, who won this season's Wellington premier division title for the first time, were in the Capital line-up who defeated Southern in a thrilling final on Sunday. The game went to a shootout after fulltime was reached with the score at 0-0.

The Lett brothers, Dane and Trent, Benedict Van Woerkom, Nick Finlayson and Rowan Yeo each had strong games in a match producing all the tenseness and excitement expected in a game of that importance.

" We always thought it would be a bit of a dog fight," 23-year-old Van Woerkom said.

"They (Southern) have some really good players and we knew we would need to be very tight defensively to keep them out. There was the odd scary moment but we got through them, and that was great.".

Van Woerkom, who was one of a small group of Capital players battling the 'flu bug, said his team's game plan involved using the full width of the pitch for their own attacking movements. Going up the middle risked providing the dangerous Southern forwards with counter-attacking opportunities should passes not find their target in the wet and difficult conditions.

It was a tactic which worked well with Capital creating more scoring chances than their opposition, including a couple of penalty corners, but failing to convert them into goals

"We got close a few times but the ball wouldn't go in ... I guess it was just one of those days."

Come the shootout to decide the fate of the premier trophy, the Challenge Shield, Van Woerkom was the fourth of the five Capital players involved there. As he stepped up Capital were trailing 3-2 but the Dalefield player held his nerve to make it 3-3.

Capital goalkeeper Kyle Pontifex then saved Southern's next shot and when Capital skipper Blair Hilton netted to put his team 4-3 up all the pressure was on Southern's last attempt. Pontifex again rose to the occasion to make a fine save and Capital were the new champions.

Van Woerkom, a Junior Black Stick in 2012 and 2013, admitted to a "few butterflies" before the shootout with the focus being on trusting a process he had practised hundreds of times before.

"You just have to blank everything else out and concentrate totally on what you have to do, there is absolutely no room for indecision. If you start having second thoughts then you risk the chance of making a mistake and doing a poor job.

"The nerves are always there but you have to keep them under control best you can."

There was little opportunity for Van Woerkom to celebrate the shield success as yesterday he left for Holland where he has been contracted to play for a third division club, Hattem.

He expects to return to New Zealand by next June and is keen to continue his association with Dalefield as they aim to become Wellington champions for the second successive year.