Under-15s fight back

Hockey PHOTO/FILE

The Wanganui under-15 team rebounded from their disappointing quarter-final loss on Thursday to upset home team Canterbury 4-2 on penalty strokes in the play-offs to decide 5th-8th at the national hockey tournament yesterday.

Having a side that specialises in defence, coach Andrew Spence said they got all they could handle from the Cantabrians, who lead 1-0 at halftime.

"They dominated the game, if I'm frank.

"The Canterbury team had 30 penetrations in our circle, we had about three in theirs so when we got in there we had to score."

Having soaked up the pressure, Wanganui replied five minutes after resumption with a Jake Hooper goal, before Canterbury regained the lead 10 minutes later.

Then, with five minutes left, Chris Fergusson scored to send the match to penalty strokes.

Goalie Grayson Belk proceeded to stop all four of the Canterbury attempts while his team got two of their three to take out the game.

That delighted Spence, who has already made plans to keep the majority of his young squad together so they can "clean up" this tournament next year.

He continues to be very proud of their performances after the disappointment of the 2012 team at the nationals.

"To come from 15th to potentially fifth that's huge."

Wanganui will have their final play-off game to decide 5th/6th this afternoon against Southland.