Hockey: Techno women put line in sand

FIRST WIN: Wanganui's Myah Jex-Blake and Charlotte Dixon saw some success at the weekend, when their Central Under 18 team beat Capital U18 2-0 on Sunday. Photo/Stuart Munro

After giving honest efforts in defeats to three teams in recent matches, the Tech College Old Boys women's team have put a line in the sand to get their first Manawatu League win this Saturday against Palmerston North Girls' High School.

Having lost narrowly 2-1 to the schoolgirls in their catchup game last Monday, TCOB were beaten by Massey 4-0 in Palmerston North on Saturday, with the university team being two points back from the top sides High School Hockey Club and College.

"Those top 3 teams, they're miles above everybody else," said "Techno" co-coach Ian Glenny.

On Saturday, his team managed to secure four penalty corners but were unable to score. They did not make any significant unforced turnovers.

They also played with no bench with two key players, including captain Michelle Low, unavailable.

"The girls did really well, I was quite proud they functioned very well as a team," he said.

Therefore, when Techno meet PHGHS again this weekend at the Gonville Domain, Glenny said this was the game where they had to perform and break their duck for 2014. "Really, what counts is what we do this Saturday. We need to have a win."

Collegians will wish Techno well as they now sit four points behind PNGHS in fifth spot after a tough 2-0 loss to the competition leaders HSHC at the Twin Turfs.

Played in cold and wet conditions, Collegians had two fill-in reserves with Zoe Peters unavailable, and conceded both their goals in the opening stanza.

"If we played like we did in the second half, it would have been good," said coach Jan Dixon, who also took the field. "We got some nice passing going in the second half."

Collegians have the bye this weekend, then the Gonville Domain derby with Techno followed by HSHC Rebels and College to try to force their way into fourth.

Veteran player Anna Symes has taken over the weekly training sessions, with Dixon focusing on her coaching the Central Under-18s team.

Two Wanganui teenagers did experience success on the weekend, as goalie Charlotte Dixon and midfielder/front runner Myah Jex-Blake were in the Central team who won their national tournament warmup game in Levin against Capital, 2-0.

Dixon said her Central played well enough that her daughter was kept out of the play.

"Charlotte didn't even get to touch the ball, so she didn't get a lot of work in there.

"Myah did really well, although she's still got to get use to the pace of the ball."

The national tournament is on July 6-12 in Napier.

Dixon said team will have more training in Stratford, while they try to arrange another friendly game against a Taranaki club side.

In the men's division, TCOB ran out of legs against second-placed HSHC at the Twin Turfs, losing 6-0.

TCOB took 12 players to Palmerston North, with regular player/coach Trent Williamson unavailable due to his son's birthday.

"Up until halftime it had been a pretty even game," said senior player Callum Wilbur.

"They were all over us and got five goals at the end."

Forward Lee Moir played well in the opening stanza, creating a couple of good chances, Wilbur said.

Still waiting for victory No1 this year, TCOB have the bye this weekend before facing fellow cellar dweller MCOB in Levin. However, MCOB managed to upset competition leaders Massey 2-1 at home on Saturday.