Province Winners Once Again

Southern Gauteng hockey coach Adrian Carolan, conceded on Saturday in Cape Town, after losing the national championship to defending champions Western Province that the opposition always had the edge over them.

The teams, both favourites and the only teams to ever win this tournament in its 16 year history, were drawn at 2-2 after regulation time and extra time, and the championship had to be decided by penalty flicks, which Province won by a 5-4 margin.

The Gauteng team had earlier scored two goals in the third and 20th minute of the first half, through Anika Fischer and Sharne Bailey, silencing the vocal home crowd who were there rooting for their team.

Shelley Russell pulled one back for WP in the 34th minute and Megan Robertson evened the score late in the 61st minute, to set up a thrilling end to the week long tournament, as both teams tried without success to get the winning goal.

Carolan afterwards acknowledged the immense advantage that WP, with its 12 national players, had over his team. “It is an achievement for us, with just four national players to put up a credible fight against a team with twelve. 

Also, we had seven inexperienced players in our team, so it was always going to be difficult,” Carolan said. The triumphant coach, former national team player Kerry Bee said her team’s winning formula on the day was self-belief. 

“We never doubted that we could come back into it, even when we were 0-2 down. My players did what they were told, and it worked out to our advantage,” Bee said. 

With 14 national team players, the six-time champions were always going to be a tough nut to crack, but their captain Kate Hector said the figure just put pressure on them. 

“We have always been the under-dog, so being favourites is a new experience. Also, we may have the players, but they are all young and inexperienced, but this good for them as they are getting the experience they need, and developing their big match temperament at the same time, all a plus for national team duty,” Hector said. 

Northern Gauteng from Tshwane won the losers’ final, beating KwaZulu-Natal 4-0 to take the bronze medal, while Peninsula is assured of promotion, following their comprehensive 4-0 win over North West in the tournament’s B Section.