CROSS STICKS: PNGHS's Grace Bayley and TCOB's captain Michelle Low go after the ball at Gonville Domain on Saturday. Photo/Bevan Conley
CROSS STICKS: PNGHS's Grace Bayley and TCOB's captain Michelle Low go after the ball at Gonville Domain on Saturday. Photo/Bevan Conley
After a season of either "so close" or heavy defeat, Tech College Old Boy's women's team had staked their post that Saturday at Gonville Domain would be different.
And so it proved as TCOB reversed their previous 2-1 loss to Palmerston North Girls High School to hold off the schoolgirls in a nail-biting finish, as the Manawatu League's wooden-spooners beat the fourth-placed team to throw their Collegian townmates a semifinal lifeline.
Relieved 'Techno' co-coach Ian Glenny said it was appropriate that most of their attackers had a hand in both their goals, scored either side of halftime.
"Cherie Spooner scored the first goal, [as] in these were really team goals, it was touched by 3-4 of our players."
Rushing PNGHS's goal 10 minutes into the second half, the ball got the edge off at least five TCOB sticks for 15-year-old Hollie Brashing to send her team ahead 2-0.
"We had quite a few in the circle and we managed to put it away by tapping it basically."
What followed was an understandable level of paranoia from the winless Techo as they tried to defend against the very fit schoolgirls, who scored to cut the lead to 2-1.
But this time, led by captain Michelle Low, the local team kept the back of their goal free despite having given up territory and possession.
"For the last 18 minutes we just held on basically," said Glenny.
"The final whistle couldn't come quick enough.
"It was just really great for the girls, to see them as a team, have a win.
"You should have seen the elation in the dugout. You'd have thought we'd won the final."
Techno's win means Collegians, coming off the bye, remain four points behind PNGHS and still have an outside chance to taking fourth spot.
The two Wanganui teams meet in the Gonville derby game this coming Saturday, then Collegians have games with HSHC Rebels and College, whereas PNGHS arguably have the tougher run with a bye and matches with Massey and HSHC.
