Testing time had by veterans

LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES: The Wanganui members of the NZ Masters teams which played Australia. Bret Smith (back left), Darryl Smith, Mark Wilson, Russell Burgess; Patrick Hargraves (front left), Michelle Low, John Wilson and Anne Stone.PHOTO/SUPPLIED

WANGANUI hockey exponents have made an impact on both sides of the Tasman in the past week with a veteran being part of a test series win and the youth getting a call-up to regional honours.

Tech College Old Boys women's leading player Michelle Low enjoyed the most success among the eight Wanganui players selected for the NZ Masters test series with Australia in Melbourne at the weekend.

Nine New Zealand teams from ages 35 up to 60 contested games.

The women's 45 team, including Low, swept their series with the Australians, winning 2-1, 3-2 and 2-0. Only the NZ women's 35 team were also victorious.

Back at home, the next generation are taking their step to higher honours as TCOB and Wanganui High School players Lee Moir and Ryan Gray were named in the Central Under-18 boys' squad for the regional tournament in North Harbour in July.

In addition, their teammates Joseph Redpath and Ben Pilet have been named as non-travelling reserves and will continue to work with the squad.

WHS's Emma Rainey and Collegiate's Beth Norman were named in the Central Under-18 girls' squad.

Hockey Wanganui's Kylie Penn said the teams were selected after a two-day trial in the Hawke's Bay and all the Wanganui players impressed with their fitness levels.

The regional tournament will be held in July, where Central will compete against the likes of Northland, North Harbour, Auckland, Midlands, Capital, Canterbury and Southern.

Back at the Twin Turfs in Palmerston North, 'Techno' finished fourth in the women's HMI Cup competition after their scoreless draw with the High School Hockey Club Rebels was followed by a narrow 1-0 defeat by college.

In the first of the 30-minute games, Techo's manager Ian Glenny said their defence did well and they pressured the Rebels at times.

"That was our warm up game because we were unlucky not to score on a couple of occasions."

Techno then went ahead of the Rebels on goal differential to make the playoff for 3rd/4th against college, who shocked Techno by going 1-0 up after only 20 seconds, and that was where the score remained.

"I thought, we didn't have all our strongest players but we performed well as a team," Glenny said.

"It shows what Mark [Lyles] is teaching them is becoming automatic."

Amelia Stanley did well in goal, Nicky Skedgwell had a good day, and Elizabeth Hunter once again showed her promise, especially in the second game.

"She's a young player and she's just starting to hit her straps," said Glenny.

The TCOB men missed the top four as they were beaten 3-0 by Marist in a frustrating game.

Coach Colleen Baylis said the team had some opportunities in the first half, which was still deadlocked 0-all, before it all went wrong in the second stanza. Having seen both sides of the Wanganui v Manawatu officiating debate last year, given she helped coach TCOB while playing for the Rebels, Baylis had some frank assessments to add to a familiar theme.

"Our passing wasn't as pretty, but, as much as I hate to say it, I wasn't impressed with one of the umpiring performances."

The two deciding goals came from the TCOB keeper being left alone one-on-one, and the final nail in the coffin was a penalty stroke.

Chad Warner was the "Energiser Bunny", while Bryce McKenzie also had a good match.

All the Wanganui teams have big games this Saturday when the Manawatu Division 1 competition resumes.

Techno and Collegians will meet in the women's derby at Gonville Domain, while TCOB will travel to Hawke's Bay to play a new team " basically the representative squad.

"The guys have got to be a bit more switched on than they have been," Baylis said.