Dalefield captain Rowan Yeo, left, was disappointed in his team’s slow start against Victoria. PHOTO/FILE
HOCKEY
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Dalefield 4
Victoria 2
Farriers Dalefield came from behind twice to beat a gutsy Victoria University 4-2 at the Trust House Wairarapa Hockey Complex on Saturday.
The Wellington Hockey Premier Championship top qualifiers went into the final round-robin match looking for a confidence booster against their fifth-placed opponents, after dropping their first game of the season 4-3 to Hutt United last weekend.
However, Victoria started the better with goals in the first and second quarters to take a 2-1 halftime lead. Dalefield’s only reward was a field goal to player-co-coach Benedict van Woerkom in the second period.
The home side lifted the intensity in the third quarter and took control, with a stroke from captain Rowan Yeo to equalise before a shot from Hamish Finlayson was deflected into the net.
A goal to Zac Caldwell from a Dylan Price cross four minutes into the final spell completed the scoring.
Yeo was disappointed with Dalefield’s lack of aggression on defence early in the game.
“In the first half we let them come into our half and hold all of the possession and they started to get a flow on like the team they are, and we let them take control of the game,” Yeo said.
“We’ve been performing quite well in the second half, and we showed that again this week but definitely we didn’t want to run into the semifinals with a couple of losses and we’ve got a bit of momentum now.”
Dalefield will host Hutt United in the first semifinal on Saturday, with the winner going straight to the final on August 20, and the loser facing a sudden death playoff against the winner of the third-fourth playoff between Indians and defending champions Harbour City.
WOMEN
Dalefield 5
Victoria 0
Farriers Dalefield scored the bonus point victory they wanted but, in the end, it was all in vain as they had to settle for third place and a sudden death playoff next Saturday.
Dalefield needed to win by five or more goals over Victoria University and hope that Northern United beat Hutt United to sneak into the top two places and get two lives for the playoffs. A 4-2 win to Hutt ended their chances though.
Dalefield hit their straps in the first quarter, scoring three goals, to Reese Robertson and Brigette Mossman from penalty corners, and a field goal to Felicity Reidy.
Abby Crawley added a fourth in the second quarter, and a fifth from a penalty corner in the third period.
Captain Michael O’Connor admitted it was an up-and-down performance from the two-time defending champions.
“We came out firing and sort of died off in the second half and we seem to be doing that a bit so that’s a bit of a work on for us,” O’Connor said.
“There were a lot of good things out there, and it wasn’t awesome, but it wasn’t bad.”
O’Connor highlighted the strong defence, which allowed Victoria little time or space on attack, and improved passing through as positives.
She was also looking ahead to the playoffs with confidence saying the team have played well in the past when under pressure.
Dalefield will host Harbour City in a sudden death third-fourth playoff on Saturday, with the winner to go on and play the loser of the Hutt United-Northern United game for a place in the final.
