FOOTBALL
Carterton Redbacks’ phenomenal unbeaten run of 35 games in Wairarapa Local League matches has come to an end, defeated 1–0 by Cam’s Flooring Douglas Villa Reserves on Saturday.
The Redbacks had not lost a league game since July 10 2021, when beaten 3–2 by Wairarapa United Social, although they were defeated by DV Skulls in last year’s Wairarapa Knockout Cup final. Redbacks have little time to dwell on their defeat, being back in action tomorrow in a Chatham Cup preliminary round clash away to Capital Division Two side Stokes Valley.
Skulls now lead Division One after their 6–1 defeat of Greytown Tremains, by goal difference from Progressive Engineering Masterton Athletic, who defeated Property Brokers Featherston United.
Douglas Vets are one of three teams with unblemished records in the combined Division Two and Three after their 6–0 win over Featherston. McAuleys Masterton, with their 2–1 defeat of Greytown Umbrella Group Spartans, and Greytown Property Brokers, with their 7–3 victory over Carterton Goal Diggers, also have perfect records.
In other games, Carterton Reapers easily dispatched DV Mitre 10 Megabeens 5–1, Carterton Raiders edged Greytown The Offering 2–1, Masterton Ziggy’s Glass Presidents were too good for Martinborough, winning 4–0, and Evergreens and Masterton Lions battled to a 1–1 draw.
HOCKEY
Blowout scores highlighted the third round of matches in Wairarapa Hockey Men’s Division One.
Carterton Vets posted a 12–1 win over JNL, while Comvita Kia Kaha scored nine unanswered goals against Featherston, the same scoreline as Tremains Red Star’s win over Dalefield Dodgers.
Dalefield lead the Women’s Division, scoring the only goal in a tight clash with East Coast. Gladstone Gold triumphed 2–0 over Comvita Kia Kaha.
Featherston Foxies top the women’s second division after their 2–2 draw with Property Brokers. Gladstone Heifers prevailed 3–1 over Wairarapa Mitsubishi, Coasties beat Martinborough 3–1, and Eketāhuna Tuis were easy 6–2 winners over Featherston Force.
INDOOR BOWLS
The team of Donald Leighton, Rob Fuge, Tina Patrick and John Duncan will represent Wairarapa in the zone finals for the National Masters Fours after coming out on top of the elimination series with two wins from the three games.
In Sunday’s Henselite Singles elimination series, Elva Simonsen qualified for the zone finals by beating Marilyn King 13–5 in the final.
Sixteen players took to the mats for the competition, with four players progressing to the semifinals. Simonsen defeated Dale Lloyd-Stanton 15–8, and King got the better of Sarndra Bain 16–8.
The busy period for indoor bowlers continues tomorrow, with the Cusack 2-4-2 Paisr to be played at the Hogg Crescent Complex. On Saturday, the Junior Pairs will be played, and on Sunday, several teams will head to the Ashhurst Fours, one of the biggest fours tournaments held in the lower North Island.
