Big Wins on Day 1 at Randburg Astro

2012 Interprovincial hockey action kicked off on Sunday, and defending champions Western Province had the toughest match against Kaspersky Wits, while Eastern Province, Northerns and Kaspersky Southerns all muscled big wins as the tournament kicked off with Pool A and B action in Section A at the Randburg Astro, hosted by the Southern Gauteng Hockey Association from 19 – 25 August 2012.

North West v SA U21

The SA U21’s opened scoring from open play just before the half-time whistle with Jacinta Jubb making no mistake to take her side into the turnaround with a narrow lead. North West came out of the break energised, and Sulette Damons scored within 2 minutes to level the scores.

North West had 3 penalty corners but it was the junior girls who took advantage with 20mins in the half remaining, with Kaila Fleming burying the variation. Their third goal also came courtesy a PC, with Izelle Lategan collecting the rebound and flipping it over the NW keeper, before Lilian du Plessis sealed the North West team’s fate from open play shortly before the game ended for a 4-1 opening win.

KZN Raiders v Amathole

Raiders opened scoring in their first encounter from open play shortly after the start whistle, but when Amathole stepped up the tempo the Raiders could not increase their lead before the halftime whistle.

There was no advance on the scoreline until KZN broke into the Amathole circle halfway through the second half, and with Michelle Cogle unmarked on the penalty spot to easily deflect in their second. Amathole made a big effort to clear the deficit as the match neared its end, and when Marcelle Keet was brought down in the KZN D with nine minutes to go, it looked like Amathole would score, but it was not to be as Lauren Martin deflected over the crossbar to keep the score to a 2-0 win for the KZN Raiders.

Eastern Province v KZN Inland

In their opening match Eastern Province made short shrift of KZN Inland, beating them six-nil after running up a 2-0 lead well ahead of halftime, after which the opening half was characterised by a hungry EP trying to get into the opposition’s circle, and by a pinned-in Inland being good enough to keep the threat out, but not enough to break out in retaliation.

Early in the second half Inland lost Sharoleen Hemmero for medical treatment after she was hit in the face, and in the aftermath of the confusion Eastern Province managed to sneak into the circle to net another for a 3-0 lead. By this time Eastern Province were playing with the confidence of a comfortable lead, and when Pamela Bowren worked the ball into the circle along the baseline she found an unmarked Danny Judge at the back for their fourth goal.

With five minutes to go Jessica de Bruyn received a free ball at the top of the D, and buried it in the back of the net for EP’s fifth goal of the match. A final penalty corner for Eastern Province was the salt in the wound, for a 6-0 win and a positive start for EP.

Western Province v Kaspersky Wits

In the most evenly-matched opening draw of the 2012 Interprovincial, Western Province came out strong early, and their forward play created several chances in the first half, but Kaspersky Wits weren’t about to take it lying down, and responded with shots on goal themselves, unfortunately both teams were shooting wide of goal, with WP’s Gina Sole shooting over the crossbar.

Wits played several long shots forward and when they managed to get a stick to a long pass before it crossed the line, Georgina Crisp stepped up to open the scoring. But Wits hardly had a moment to celebrate before conceding a field goal to Province minutes later, scores tied.

Play after half-time was initially marked by a long midfield battle, with neither side managing to dictate the pattern of play, and when Province finally managed to win a short corner, their effort was run down by Wits.

Winning a second short corner, WP messed up the variation to give Wits the clearance fee hit. Wits controlled the ball for a while, but on regaining possession WP quickly won a third PC, only for Gina Sole’s shot agonisingly close off the post and the rebound not falling kindly to Province, Wits were once again off the hook.

With the second half running down WP broke into the Wits circle, and National player Jayde Mane managed a shot, but only into the Keeper’s pads and safely away for Wits. An energised WP kept the pressure up, winning multiple penalty corners as the minutes wore down, but the attempts were all staved off.

WP enjoyed another PC in the dying minutes of the game, and if their conversion rate was better, there’d be little doubt about the name of the winners, but as the opening match went, both teams will be glad to have a point on the log, and will be looking for better things to come.

Northerns v Free State

Free State exerted control over the pattern of play early on in the match, but it was Northerns to gain the first PC of the match, and though the shot was palmed away by the Free State keeper, it was an indication of the pressure to follow.

Free State’s Shevaun Botha took the match to Northerns with a shot, but it was saved, and on the reply Northerns worked the ball into Free State’s circle, and Sammy Prost did the work to put Northerns on the scoreboard.

Free State did their best to keep possession, and they managed to mount threatening attacks, but two great saves from the Northerns keeper did everything necessary to keep her team’s lead.

Northerns didn’t ease up on their game, and soon enough a great cross from Kim Hubach saw them catch Free State defence wrong-footed, and Kylie Oosthuizen finished off the move from the penalty spot for their second goal.

A feature of the Northerns play was to keep the pressure up, and their open play was soon rewarded when they moved the ball into the Free State circle, and Marlene Cronje finished the movement off to make the score 3-nil to the good.

Trying to get some momentum going, Free States’ Madrie Wessels makes a great solo run into the Northerns circle, but got overwhelmed by Northerns players, who turned the game around to race down field and find Chrizelle Andries wide of the goal, who slotted it in behind the keeper to go 4-0 ahead.

The halftime score flattered Northerns who weren’t as dominant as the score suggested, but they did finish the chances they got better. By contrast, their second half play wasn’t as effective, and with plenty possession they failed to make it count.

With 10 minutes remaining in the match, Northerns’ finally got another shot with a PC, but Kim Hubach’s flick hit the crossbar and the rebound shot went wide, but they managed to wear Free State down with a final goal when Northern’s Marlene Cronje made a solo run into the circle and fired off their first real chance from open play for the final goal of the match, five-nil to the Gauteng outfit.

Kaspersky Southerns v KZN Mynahs

Featuring Olympians Pietie Coetzee, Bernie Coston and Lisa Deetlefs, with stand-by Olympic keeper Sanani Mangisa in goals, the Southerns were always going to be a tough nut to crack, and if the score line is to believed, the Mynahs didn’t come close to achieving that.

But the coastal team kept the defending champions on their toes for the first part of the match, when Southerns’ Tsoanelo Pholo got early shots on goal and had to deal with tackles and shots blocks. After her, Coetzee saw her PC high drag-flick deflected off the post by the line player, the following sets of short corners also saw no luck for the talent-rich squad.

Eventually Kaspersky Southerns managed to make their shots count with 12 minutes remaining in the first half, and as soon as the first goal was netted the second followed soon enough. What remained of the second half seemed like a constant volley of shots flying all around the Mynah’s goals, but they nearly managed one past Mangisa before the 1st half ended 3-0 to the hosts.

Pholo set Roxanne Turner up for the team’s fourth goal shortly after the whistle started the final half, and when Turner and Coetzee both went wide with their ensuing attacks, it was left to Pholo to score and record the fifth goal to their credit.

Anika Fischer thought she had a shot for Southerns but the Mynahs keeper ushered it out. Her miss was followed by Coetzee’s first success of the match, a flick into goal for Southerns’ sixth goal.

The Mynahs had the worst of it to come, when Robyn Johnson failed to convert, repeated foot-fault kept them nailed down in their own circle only for Louise Coertsen to score Southerns’ seventh goal.

A rare break by the Mynahs seemed to give Amy Visagie a chance at revenge, but after the umpires consulted Southerns were granted the free hit, their continued dominance providing Jules Cass the shot she needed to make it eight for the home side. Though the shots kept on raining down, Mynahs sternly faced the test and kept the sheet clean till the whistle called the game over.

With Day 1 behind them, the tournament’s Section B will be looking to get into the action too. Follow @HockeyIPT on twitter for the day’s leading action, and visit the Hockey IPT website for results and upcoming fixtures.