Hockey: Derby win gives Collegians a lift

One Wanganui team was going to break their 2014 Manawatu League duck during Tech College Old Boys' Old Timers Day on Saturday, and it was Collegians who earned bragging rights in the women's derby with a 4-0 win at the Gonville Domain.

Dominating territory and possession against the TCOB women in the first half, Collegians opened their account with the first of two goals from Jessica Watkin.

Recovered from her concussion in April, Haley Mallinder also scored and Anna Symes added a third goal for the key advantage by halftime.

Watkin would claim her double despite a better TCOB effort in the second half, but Techno's co-coach Ian Glenny said they had no answers.

"'We played a very good Collegians side and I think Collegians were the better side on the day and deserved to win.

"Statistically, they had a huge amount of penalty corners, which would show you how much they were in our half."

Collegians manager Kellie Watkin said their team showed improved passing and glimpses of the form they put up in the 3-0 loss to top side Massey earlier in the season, which she still rated the stronger performance.

"The scoreline possibly should have been higher, but for [TCOB] I think Melissa [Hylton] had a really good game."

Collegians will now try to turn this momentum into the first win by a Wanganui team against a Palmerston North side when they take on the HSHC Rebels this Saturday at Gonville.

While the Rebels are the 'B' team, and the younger squad, of the HSHC club, Watkin said having a consistent line-up will be key if Collegians are to claim an out-of-town scalp in 2014.

Just how much NZ Maori representative goalie Hylton has been covering her Techno team's deficiencies was clear on Sunday as the TCOB women were hammered 10-0 in their catch-up game from the deferred match with College in Palmerston North.

Glenny said the team played with better structure than the day before, penetrating the College circle many times.

But with only one reserve, Hylton played out in the field, leaving Techno exposed at the back and the scoreline mounted as they ran out of legs.

The TCOB men could likewise not get off the mark in 2014, but played their strongest game to date in the 4-2 loss to Manawatu College Old Boys on Saturday.

TCOB led 2-1 at the break following a penalty corner conversion by player-coach Trent Williamson and a field goal from Damien Andrews.

However, still missing a well-rounded lineup, TCOB leaked three goals in the last 15 minutes against their younger opposition, with Williamson subbing himself off five minutes after halftime.

"[MCOB] were definitely worried at the start," he said.

"If we had another couple of forwards, it would be a whole lot different we're playing halves in the forward line."

The TCOB men will play Marist in Palmerston North this weekend, while the TCOB women have another double-header, starting with an away game to HSHC.