23th June 2008

Te Awamutu stumbled to their second consecutive loss over the weekend when hosting Otumoetai women in the intercity Premier women’s hockey competition.
Although welcoming the return of Robbie Matthews to shore up the midfield defense, Te Awamutu struggled to combat the pace of the visitors’ forwards and did well to hold them to a one goal half time deficit with Katrina Carsons converting from a penalty stroke.

The sheer weight of possession and territory eventually took its toll in the second half with Otumoetai’s Sara Chynoweth and Tam McGarvey both scoring well executed field goals and player of the match Jol McGarvey converted a PC for a 4 nil win.

Avenue Storage University were made to work harder for their 4 nil win against a youthful Onewhero-Pukekohe side. Gemma Overmire opened the scoring when pouncing on a PC rebound and Cathryn Finlayson gave the students a 2 nil half time lead when converting from a fast break out to round the keeper and rifle in her shot from an acute angle. Chelsea Paddy and Megan Brink sealed the win with second half field goals.

In other matches Fraser Tech remains top of the table with a 3 nil win against Valley United in Ngatea and Taupo found defending champions Rotorua Aces too strong losing 0-4 in Rotorua.

The Riv Suburbs Piako gave the local crowd something to smile about when a colour clash saw them to front up to Taupo in bright red Umpires shirts. The alternate strip did little to faze them though as they put on a clinical first half showing to lead 4 nil. Hayden Ripia opened the goal fest with a snap shot field goal and almost immediately from the restart Matt Luxford poached the first of his hat trick off an Auke Idema shot at goal. Luke Forbes and Luxford closed the half with a field goal and PC conversion respectively.
Luxford completed his hat trick with a well taken field goal to open the second half scoring, Matt Rees-Gibbs converted back to back field goals and Ripia completed the rout.

In away matches, University CBD had a convincing 7-1 win over hosts Mt Maunganui with Sandeep Puna 3, Chris Marr 2, Tony Hopping and Mike Hill all scoring in what coach Ian Williams describes as their best game for the season.
Fraser Tech bounced back from their shock loss to record a comfortable if not totally convincing 6-3 win over Otumoetai with Tech’s Darren Luckin scoring a match winning hat trick late in the game to seal the win. Hamilton Old Boys were the surprise of the round when being held to a 3 all draw by hosts Kohekohe.

For the record
MIDLANDS INTERCITY HOCKEY LEAGUE
Premier Men, Pool A: Fraser-Tech 6 Otumoetai 3, HT 2-1; Thames Valley 3 Papakura 1, HT 2-0; The RIV Suburbs 8 Taupo 0, HT 4-0.

Premier Men, Pool B: University CBD 7 Mt Maunganui 1, HT 3-0; Tauranga Old Boys 6 Rotorua Indians 4, HT 4-2; Kohekohe 3 Hamilton Old Boys 3, HT 1-0.

Premier Women: Otumoetai 4 Te Awamutu 0, HT 1-0; Rotorua Aces 4 Taupo 0, HT 1-0; Avenue Storage University 4 Onewhero 0, HT 2-0; Fraser-Tech 3, Thames Valley 0, HT 0-0.