Hockey: BoP Indians falter on goals

The Bay of Plenty Indians (Rotorua) will search for a win against Otumoetai this weekend. Pictured is Indians player Sukhandeep Singh (centre) in action last year. Photo / Stephen Parker

The Bay of Plenty Indians will look to fix up their finishing in front of goal when they travel to Tauranga to take on Otumoetai.

The Indians (Rotorua) have qualified for the Championship in the Midlands intercity competition - which is reserved for the top eight men's sides in the Midlands region.

The Midlands region covers a huge area and features the best clubs from Counties Manukau through to Rotorua.

The Indians play their first match in the Championship grade tomorrow in Tauranga against a good Otumoetai side. Indians coach Karandeep Lall said they had been playing well, but needed to finish more of their chances in front of goal.

"The only thing is to finish the scoring, and put the ball in the net," he said. "That has been the problem for the Indians. In [the past] three games we have scored 14 goals but we've probably missed more than that number of good chances."

Lall said their main goal was to make the semifinal this year.

"This year we definitely want to make it into the top four. If we get into the top four that would be goal achieved this year, and then it is about improving again next year."

He said there were a few new faces at the club this season, thanks in part to a new partnership with John Paul College.

"There is about two or three new ones but most are the same faces." He said some of the top players from John Paul College were making appearances for the men's team this year.

The Midlands intercity competitions got under way last month with 15 men's teams and 12 women's teams. Waikato Hockey re-joined the Midlands competitions this year which resulted in a big increase in teams.

Following the first round of the Midlands men's competition, which finished last weekend, the top eight teams went into the Championship division while the other seven teams have gone into the Plate division.

The Rotorua Aces are one of the sides in the Plate competition, and play against Waikato University in Hamilton tomorrow.

"I don't think there will be much difference between the two grades, with the likes of Mount and Aces in the Plate division," Lall said.

Unfortunately, it means there will be no Rotorua derby this year between the Indians and Aces, as the two clubs are in separate grades.

Both the Championship and Plate divisions in the men's grade will feature a round robin competition followed by a playoff series.

Midlands intercity draw tomorrow:

Men:

Championship: Otumoetai v BOP Indians (Tauranga at

1.30pm), Thames Valley v Fraser Tech, Aber Old Boys v

Suburbs Piako, Pukekohe Indians v Te Awamutu. Plate:

Rotorua Aces v Waikato University (Hamilton at 3pm),

Kohekohe v Onewhero Pukekohe, Tauranga Old Boys v Mount

Maunganui, Waiau Pa bye.

Women: Rotorua Aces v Suburbs Piako (Smallbone Park at
2pm), Marist St Michael's v Te Awamutu (Smallbone Park at
2.30pm), Thames Valley v Katikati, Onewhero Pukekohe v Old
Girls, Otumoetai v Waikato University, Mount Maunganui v
Fraser Tech, Marist St Michael's v Te Awamutu.