TOUGH CONTEST: HSHC Rebel Suzie Turner (left) and TCOB's Hollie Brasting keep their eye on the ball. Photo/Lewis Gardner
They may be the 'B' team of the High School Hockey Club, but the HSHC Rebels handed out double the disappointment to their Wanganui opponents for the final round robin of the Manawatu League at the weekend.
The Rebels beat the Tech College Old Boys women's team at Gonville Domain on Saturday and then Collegians back in Palmerston North just 24 hours later, both by 2-1 scorelines, to consign Techno to the wooden spoon position but more importantly, costing Collegians a place in the Top 4 in favour of Palmerston North Girls High School.
Collegians had met College in their Saturday game and were beaten 2-0 by the strong second-placed team.
Yet the Wanganui side was reportedly left fuming after their crucial July 12 deferred match with the Rebels as changes in the scheduling were followed with issues with the Manawatu-based umpires.
The match had originally been set for 6.30pm on Sunday, but was moved to 1.30pm, meaning four members of the team could not travel down.
"Hugely disappointed, they had the bare 11, they had [goalie] Charlotte Dixon go on into the field," said manager Kellie Watkin, who also did not attend.
The game only had one umpire until the 20th minute, by which time Collegians were leading 1-0 after an Emma Rainey goal.
Carrying on with two officials, Rebels equalised before halftime and then took the lead midway through the second stanza, by which time Collegians were upset at the calls which started going against them.
It is understood both umpires were fathers of players in the Rebels lineup.
Collegians members were reluctant to speak on the record yesterday, but private comments abounded about poor officiating.
The day before in Palmerston North, Collegians had been at sixes and sevens against College, given about half the team had been away with the Wanganui Under 18s at a national tournament, while the others had not played any hockey, including training, for a fortnight.
College scored in the fifth and 15th minutes, before Collegians were able to hold them out for the remainder of the contest.
"It took us a while to settle in, I suppose that's two weeks without playing [as a team]," said Watkin. "But we just couldn't find the back of the net."
Amelia Stanley still had a good match in-goal, as the two strikes that got past her were quality.
Techno were also left wondering what might have been after their late, second-half comeback against the Rebels was not enough to force an equaliser at Gonville Domain.
"We went out there, and Melissa [Hylton] always keeps us in the game and she did very well to minimise them to two," co-coach Ian Glenny said.
"In the first half, we didn't play some good hockey and in the second half we kicked in."
Down 2-0 not long after the break, Techno captain Michelle Low scored from a penalty corner with six minutes left as the home side threw caution to the wind.
"The last 15 minutes we played really high, it looked like we had six forwards on the field," Glenny said.
In the men's competition, it was the same old story for the TCOB men as there was plenty of room in the cars and vans for the trip to Palmerston North and a 5-1 loss to College.
"To have 20 [players] the week before, for the home game, then you've got 12," player/coach Trent Williamson said.
"We just ran out of legs, having only one reserve."
TCOB were still in the match at 2-1 down at halftime, with their goal coming from Callum Wilbur off a penalty corner, which moves him closer to joining Williamson as top goalscorer for the season.
"I hope so, someone needs to," said Williamson, given his tally is still only four.
A green card to TCOB's Matt Forward gave College the opportunity to bang in two quick goals and take the match away.
Collegians losses meant no Wanganui side managed to make the Top 4. The Division 1 grades will now split into Top 4 and Bottom 3 matches for the next three weekends, followed by finals on August 16 and 23.