Vaughan Hilton reporting for Waikato Hockey.
Fraser Tech men continue to set the competition second round bench mark with another slick display to totally dominate Admore Promotions University eventually routing the students 11-0. Tech played with precision passing and hugely improved discipline to convert six first half goals. Lloyd McLaughlin and Heath Sinclair both grabbed a brace with Dane Vickers slotting an accurate PC strike and Heath Sinclair tapping in from close range to complete the first half domination. Kendall Nolan grabbed an early second half brace and an impressive display of finishing saw Jimmy Linehan convert a second half hat trick to complete the rout.
Aber Hamilton Old Boys avenged their first round draw against CKL Suburbs to dominate the second round encounter in a 4-1 win. Troy Smith and Alex Wood gave Old Boys a slight advantage at the break and when Suburbs conceded an early second half own goal the game looked gone. Suburbs rebounded through an Aaron Barnsdall conversion but Jonty Kearney seal the win.
CBD University struggled to find a way through Ecolab Te Awamutu’s defense in the first half and narrowly led 1-0 at the break thanks to a Craig Hardman PC conversion. The students upped the tempo in the second half as Te Awamutu’s defensive resolve was broken regularly. Gourav Correa slotted a penalty stroke with Nick Trebelcock, Connor Herewini, Kyle Ostenfeld and Tony Hopping all grabbing second half goals to notch a satisfactory 6-1 victory.
In the women’s match of the day, Storage King University was made to fight hard for their 5-2 victory over an ever improving Ecolab Te Awamutu side. Neve McLean opened the scoring for Te Awamutu but the students responded well with an equalizer to Anna Pryde and a brace to Kim Tanner to lead 3-1 at the interval. Olivia Scotland and Rachel Smith extended the lead before McLean scored her second of the match.
In other women’s matches Fraser Tech White also proved efficient in front of goal and notched a comfortable 5-1 win over McWhannell Roofing Suburbs. Fraser Tech was stunned early when Holly Finn notched her first goal of the season to give Suburbs the initial lead but first half conversions to Imogen Neil, Kate Kernaghan and Acacia Kelsen took the game away from a spirited Suburbs side. Neil and Kernaghan each again converted in the second spell but coach Robyn Polly rued the opportunities squandered by her youthful charges but pleased with the overall structure. By contrast a depleted Fraser Tech Blue found scoring against the stern defensive structure of Hamilton Old Girls more challenging. Although dominating midfield possession and territory Tech’s strikers never hit their straps with the game fizzling out to a tame nil all draw.