Hockey: Collegians eye top 4

TCOB's Nicky Skedgwell contests the ball with Collegians' Michelle Mitchell early in the local derby game at Gonville Domain on Saturday. Photo/Bevan Conley

Collegians remain in the hunt for a top four finish in the Manawatu League after beasting town mates Tech College Old Boys women 4-1 in the Gonville Domain derby on Saturday.

The underdogs, TCOB, had a good start with a Nicky Skedgwell goal after a penalty strike that bounced around the Collegians' circle.

Having been told by acting player/coach Anna Symes to pace themselves due to having a light bench, Collegians worked back through the middle of the field for Lizzy Brooks-Mann to get the reply score with a clean strike.

Maggie Symes would also score to give Collegians the 2-1 advantage at halftime, and Collegians consolidated that lead in the second stanza with goals from Haley Mallinder and Emma Rainey.

Techno co-coach Ian Glenny said his team had chances to press for more points - on one play having six deflection shots inside Collegians' circle - however goalie Amelia Stanley was up to the task.

"We started really well, we dropped off in our defence a little bit as the game went on.

"When they get into the circle, they're hard to stop.

"We tend to panic on the ball a little bit and we gave up a lot of ball to Collegians outside the circle," Glenny said.

Loren Mooney also had a good match back at sweeper for Techno.

The win moves Collegians up to one point behind fourth-placed Palmerston North Girls' High School, as the only top four spot with any kind of contention in the next fortnight as HSHC, College and Massey are well ahead with vastly superior win/loss records.

Due to the number of players away with the Wanganui U18 representative team, Collegians' upcoming match with HSHC Rebels will be deferred from this Saturday, being played later along with the final round robin game with College.

PNGHS will have a much tougher run facing Massey in their deferred match, followed by HSHC.

"We are in must-win situations," said Collegians manager Kellie Watkin.

"I'm really pleased with how the team is tracking at the moment. All the goals we scored [on Saturday] came from sequences of good passing. Techno certainly didn't lie down and let us have the game."

Meanwhile, the TCOB men's frustrating season continues as despite dominating territory and time on goal in their trip to Levin to face MCOB, strong defence saw them lose 3-1.

Having been down the bottom of the table with winless TCOB until a fortnight ago, MCOB's shock 2-1 victory at home over competition leaders Massey was followed by a 2-2 draw last weekend with PNBHS and they now have an outside shot of finishing in the top four.

Down 1-0 at halftime, TCOB managed to equalise through a Callum Wilbur goal, but then they conceded two late scores to continue their fruitless campaign.

"We would have had 80 per cent of the game, but they've got a young Capital goalie in there," said player/coach Trent Williamson.

"Had 30 good shots, maybe five of them would have gone in, but he saved heaps. The only goal we did get was a touch."

Ryan Balsely was TCOB's player of the day, while young Lee Moir had another good match.

They will now face Marist at Gonville Domain on Saturday during the club's Old Boys weekend, then College in their last round-robin match before the top four/bottom three games start on July 26.