Upsets galore as SC Hockey starts with a bang
Two massive upsets, a last-minute match-winner and a classic Hayden Shaw drag-flick started the South Canterbury hockey season with a bang.
There would have been long odds on both Cambridge and Northern Hearts losing their first games of the season, but that's exactly what happened on a fascinating Saturday afternoon on the main turf at Aorangi Park.
Down 2-1 at halftime in the early match, Timaru Boys' High School roared back in the second half to stun Hearts 3-2.
Keeper Jesse Drake was the hero for the schoolboys, saving several chances as a frustrated Hearts waned.
Sam Early scored the opening goal but with Tim Butler dominating the midfield and goals to Tyson Hamilton and Shannon Hardacre, Hearts began to dominate the latter stages of the first half.
Realistically Boys' High were fortunate to only be one down at halftime but they came out of the sheds like it was a new match.
Tom Johnstone scored an absolute pearler of a goal to level it up and with 10 minutes to go captain Shaun Coles capitalised with a drag-flick from a penalty corner to give them the lead.
Fitness played a part in the final stages as Boys' High held Hearts out for the victory. Hearts generally start the season slow but the loss makes next week's meeting with Cambridge a crucial clash.
Cambridge will be desperate for a win after losing the late game to a last-minute counter-attacking goal by Tainui's Josh Dalziel.
The 3-2 loss is a surprise given the wealth of talent Cambridge have recruited in the off-season but Tainui made the plays when it counted.
A structured Cambridge side, anchored in the midfield by Shaw and at the back by Andrew Brunton were 2-0 down in the first half as Tainui made two breaks and scored from both.
Retired Black Sticks great Shaw got a chance to show off the drag flick that made him one of the most feared players in world hockey and duly buried it to bring it back to 2-1 at halftime.
Another of Cambridge's recruits, Gareth McKerchar, showed he has the skills for this competition and levelled the scores after the break.
As the shadows lengthened Shaw had another penalty corner to show off, but this time he was blocked. Minutes later, Tainui's Dalziel beat four players and rocketed a shot in the bottom left corner to stun the hosts.
The derby between champions Wakanui Black and clubmates Wakanui Blue was a fiery encounter.
Blue were up 1-0 after 50 minutes and another massive upset was on the cards until the cards came out. Down in personnel for 10 minutes, Blue conceded three goals as Black won 3-1.
In women's division one Rowan Milburn controlled the Cambridge midfield as the early-season favourites demolished Craighead 7-0. Timaru Girls' High School and Geraldine played out a 0-0 draw as both sides had a potentially match-winning goal disallowed.
There would have been long odds on both Cambridge and Northern Hearts losing their first games of the season, but that's exactly what happened on a fascinating Saturday afternoon on the main turf at Aorangi Park.
Down 2-1 at halftime in the early match, Timaru Boys' High School roared back in the second half to stun Hearts 3-2.
Keeper Jesse Drake was the hero for the schoolboys, saving several chances as a frustrated Hearts waned.
Sam Early scored the opening goal but with Tim Butler dominating the midfield and goals to Tyson Hamilton and Shannon Hardacre, Hearts began to dominate the latter stages of the first half.
Realistically Boys' High were fortunate to only be one down at halftime but they came out of the sheds like it was a new match.
Tom Johnstone scored an absolute pearler of a goal to level it up and with 10 minutes to go captain Shaun Coles capitalised with a drag-flick from a penalty corner to give them the lead.
Fitness played a part in the final stages as Boys' High held Hearts out for the victory. Hearts generally start the season slow but the loss makes next week's meeting with Cambridge a crucial clash.
Cambridge will be desperate for a win after losing the late game to a last-minute counter-attacking goal by Tainui's Josh Dalziel.
The 3-2 loss is a surprise given the wealth of talent Cambridge have recruited in the off-season but Tainui made the plays when it counted.
A structured Cambridge side, anchored in the midfield by Shaw and at the back by Andrew Brunton were 2-0 down in the first half as Tainui made two breaks and scored from both.
Retired Black Sticks great Shaw got a chance to show off the drag flick that made him one of the most feared players in world hockey and duly buried it to bring it back to 2-1 at halftime.
Another of Cambridge's recruits, Gareth McKerchar, showed he has the skills for this competition and levelled the scores after the break.
As the shadows lengthened Shaw had another penalty corner to show off, but this time he was blocked. Minutes later, Tainui's Dalziel beat four players and rocketed a shot in the bottom left corner to stun the hosts.
The derby between champions Wakanui Black and clubmates Wakanui Blue was a fiery encounter.
Blue were up 1-0 after 50 minutes and another massive upset was on the cards until the cards came out. Down in personnel for 10 minutes, Blue conceded three goals as Black won 3-1.
In women's division one Rowan Milburn controlled the Cambridge midfield as the early-season favourites demolished Craighead 7-0. Timaru Girls' High School and Geraldine played out a 0-0 draw as both sides had a potentially match-winning goal disallowed.