Despite sitting firmly at the bottom of the Wellington premier division hockey competition the Dalefield men are starting to show signs they have the necessary qualities to compete at this level. Though the statistics do not make for good reading ? they have conceded 13 goals and scored three in asmany matches ? the side is becoming more confident on the ball with several key players stepping up to the challenge. While last week's 5-2 defeat at the hands of Victoria University at the Clareville hockey grounds appears a thrashing on paper, the men were well in the match at halftime and never looked out of their depth. The performance drew a positive response from coach Mark Fenwick, who was quick to highlight the step up in skill level shown in comparison to the opening two hit-outs. But this week poses a serious threat to their increasing confidence as they head to the capital to tackle the highly talented Indians. While a win appears out of their reach at this stage, anything less than a three-goal deficit would still be a step in the right direction. As overwhelming underdogs, Dalefield can expect at some stage to be taken a little too lightly and that will provide them with the opportunity to catch their opponent off-guard. Tomorrow the side will continue to look to their brotherly combinations for fluency with Andy and Geoff Ewington and Greg and Chris Mason now finding their feet, while Chamus Wyatt and Tibon Yeo are not to be overlooked. Meanwhile the women also face a stiff contest on Saturday when they take on defending champions Eastern Hutt. It's been a mixed start to the season for the female contingent, who have a proud history in the competition. After an unexpected first up loss the side bounced back to draw with the enterprising Victoria University side only to crash to a 6-1 defeat at the hands of the Indians last week. An upset is not out of their reach but it will take a mighty defensive effort to keep their favoured opponents at bay for 70 minutes.
