Plett does the NMU double

KNYSNA NEWS - Plett Hockey Club last weekend did the double over the teams from NMU George. Both their men's and ladies teams were triumphant in the games played at Knysna High School on Saturday 20 May.

This while Wanderers and George shared the spoils at the Oakhill Sports Campus (OSC) with both clubs winning a game apiece.

The games formed part of round three of this year's Eden Senior Hockey League. The Plett men's side had a rocky start to their season, losing against Old Oaks and Crusaders while their ladies drew with Old Oaks before also losing against Crusaders.

Wanderers, who are based in Knysna, had a tough season start for both their sides. Wanderers men had lost first up to NMU, then to Old Oaks, while their ladies were awarded a forfeit win against NMU followed by a loss against Old Oaks.

Last weekend presented a chance for both Plett and Wanderers' men's and ladies teams to try and bag some needed points.

Plett faced NMU at the Knysna High School field, which is their home turf, and the ladies played their game first.

It was a relatively straightforward game for the ladies from Plett, having taken a 2-0 half-time lead before sealing a 3-0 win at full time. Their goals came courtesy of Nicole Painter (two) and Shelby Grant.

The men's game was a tense affair between NMU and Plett, with a goalless first quarter settling both sides' nerves.

Two quick NMU goals in the second quarter saw the men from George go into half-time 2-0 ahead. However, the Plettonians were a determined outfit and courtesy of two drag flick goals from Kyle Strumet in the third quarter, were able to draw things level at 2-2. Braddon Bauer scored the deciding goal with only eight minutes left to play, with Plett running out 3-2 victors in their first win of the season.

At the OSC there were no straightforward games. Wanderers and George's men's and ladies teams played two tough and tense matches.

Maclean takes a practice short corner during warm-up for Plett.

As was the case in town, the ladies played first, and it just wasn't meant to be for the Wanderers ladies, as their opponents from George edged out a tough 1-0 win. With hopes of usurping their ladies colleagues, Wanderers men were a determined outfit.

A goalless first quarter led into two goals coming in the second, with Mike Hazell putting Wanderers in front before George replied with a goal of their own to make matters level at 1-1 at half-time.

Another goalless quarter came in the third, before a thrilling end to the game saw Brendan Keevey netting a goal for Wanderers in the last three minutes to secure a hard-fought 2-1 win.

Nicole Painter takes a shot at goal during warm-up.