Whanganui women finish on top in Manawatū Women's Premier Reserve hockey with dominant victory over Evergreens

Player/coach Colleen Baylis has urged supporters to get behind the Whanganui women as the finals loom. Photo / Stuart Munro

Experience was the key in helping the Whanganui women's hockey team finish top of the Manawatu Women's Premier Reserve table.

The Whanganui women slammed home three goals against High School Hockey Club Evergreens in Palmerston North on the weekend to seal their spot in the semifinals.

It was a fine change of results for the Whanganui women who avenged a 1-0 loss to Evergreens in May.

Player/coach Colleen Baylis said there were a lot of changes between that game and now.

"One of the big differences is that we had a full team, last time we played them we had 11 players and they scored off a penalty corner in the very last minute of the game.

"In that game we had a lot of opportunities, but it was just one of those games and we couldn't score."

Whanganui scored their first goal against Evergreens within five minutes and then doubled their lead in the first minute of the second half

"It was a nice feeling to go 2-0 up because we knew they'd come out hard in that second half," Baylis said.

"It's always tough with Evergreens because a majority of their players are masters players so they've got the older heads on them, like the core of our team."

The Whanganui women scored a late goal to ensure that they finished on top and will play a semifinal in two weeks - after a fill-in weekend.

"That's been our aim, it's a good feeling to go through on top of the table, but we've still got a job to do coming into the semis and the finals," Baylis said.

"A lot of our players have played together for a number of years In a couple of games we conceded an early goal, but we still managed to come back with our experience, our composure and our work rate."

Baylis said they would head into the finals with same game plan as they had all season and encouraged locals to come along to support them.

"We've got a team that plays well together and we'll keep doing what we've been doing," she said.

"If we can get everybody to come out and support us going into the finals, that would be awesome. It's always tough going down to Manawatū and playing them on their own turf."