For the top-seeded teams, day two proved a misery for some, a steady progress to Saturday for others, but for Western Province, it proved to be a goal-fest with six players finding the net.
In the day’s first game, KwaZulu Natal lead 2-0 at half-time, care of goals by Kirsty Hughes and Jen Wilson posting first honours.
But North West wasn’t done just yet, and captain Lesley-Anne George and Anel Koortsen proved the point when they settled the score at 2-each come full time.
Natal Midlands will be thoroughly disappointed following their match against a rampant Western Province, when they failed to trouble the scorers after WP slotted 6 goals in the second half after leading 2-0 midway.
With a total of 5 field goals and 3 penalty corners against them, Midlands will be wondering where to turn to in their attempts to stay in the competition.
Western Province reveled in their abundance, sharing the goals around between Megan Robertson (2), Lenise Marais, Henna du Buisson (2), captain Kate Hector, Kathleen Taylor and Cindy Brown.
With Southern Gauteng making a strong case at keeping the cup for 2006, Western Province is making it clear that if the tournament comes down to a close thing, their game is on song.
Once again Southern Gauteng played to the best crowd in the house, and their game against Northerns indicated that their claim to title contenders is tight on the cup.
Fiona Butler proved that a holiday is as good as a goal, when she scored the day’s last event’s first goal, shortly after getting off the plane from Egypt. Pietie Coetzee and Anike Fischer (2) added 3 goals to the total, without conceding a goal to Northerns.
Even when frantically defending in the second half, their captain goalkeeper Caroline Jack out of position, Lindsay Carlisle managed to dribble the ball of the goal line to prevent Southern Gauteng’s record.
On Wednesday Western Province will have an opportunity to determine just how good their run of form is, when they take on defending champs Southern Gauteng.
Results
KwaZulu Natal 2 – 2 North West
Western Province 8 – 0 Natal Midlands
Southern Gauteng 4 – 0 Northerns
Team Points Goal Difference
Western Province 6 +13
Southern Gauteng 6 +5
Northerns 3 0
KwaZulu Natal 1 -1
North West 1 -5
Natal Midlands 0 -12
Remaining A Section Pool Matches
Wednesday
14:30 Northerns vs KwaZulu Natal
16:20 Western Province vs Southern Gauteng
18:10 Natal Midlands vs North West
Thursday
14:30 Western Province vs Northerns
16:20 KwaZulu Natal vs Midlands
18:10 Southern Gauteng vs North West
Friday
14:30 North West vs Northerns
16:20 Western Province vs KwaZulu Natal
18:10 Southern Gauteng vs Midlands