12th May 2008

With one-week left of competition games the Waikato Premier Men’s Hockey competition remains wide open with five sides contesting semi final places.
The Riv Suburbs Piako were clinical in despatching Hamilton Old Boys 5-2 on Saturday and withstood a torrid opening stanza in which Old Boys Fraser Kilgour scored from a PC rebound. BJ Watling showed his cricketing prowess with a superbly struck shot to gain parity for Suburbs and Aaron Barnsdall gave them the half time advantage.
Ben Te Whare and Tenga Rangitauira added to the Suburbs lead as their side gained in ascendancy in a dominant second half display. James Phillips gave his side a glimmer of hope when converting a drag flicked PC but Barnsdall responded immediately with a drag flicked goal to extinguish those hopes.
Suburbs will need to maintain that form in next weeks crucial encounter against a full strength Varsity side. A win will see Suburbs top the standing whilst a loss by three goals will see them miss the semi finals altogether.

The Cook University and Valley United slugged out an evenly contested first half with Varsity’s Billy Emeny and Valleys Todd Bell trading gaols. In a dour second half display a further Emeny goal from a PC variation gave Varsity the 2-1 win.

Fraser Tech Men downed the Waikato U18’s 5-3 after the sides were locked up 1 all at half time. Ross FitzJohn and Tech’s Grant Goile traded first half goals but Tech scored through Callum Slee, Tane Apanui and Lyndon Cooper in an early second half onslaught to seal the victory.

In women’s games a resurgent Te Awamutu upset a depleted University 3-2 with Sophie Irvine giving Te Awamutu the half time advantage. Jess Riley deflected in an early second half-equaliser but Te Awamutu’s Natalie Smith and Kirsty Sclater sealed the victory with well-taken field goals. Charlotte McCullough converted a late consolation goal from a PC strike.

Fraser Tech continued the unbeaten run with a 4-1 victory over the Waikato U16’s and Valley United showed better finishing in downing the Waikato U18’s 3-2. Tech have secured top seeding for the semi finals and will likely face Valley United in the semi’s.

Midlands U21 sides finished a disappointing week at the National tournament held in Christchurch with the Men finishing 5th equal and the women 4th. Hosts Canterbury won both Men’s and Women’s titles.