The St Andrew’s College hockey teams found the physical and technical challenge against Grey on the weekend (Saturday 3 June) tough going but many players competed until the final whistle. The U14Cs created a number of chances but failed to convert losing 3-0. Thomas Wolstenholme and Hylton Lovemore played well for the U14Bs who lost 4-1, while the U14A side lost 5-0 against an excellent Grey team.
The U16Ds lost 7-0 with Richard Morris and Philip Beynon making excellent tackles and never giving up in defence. The U16Cs also lost despite Jordan van der Meulen superb display in goal. Nestor Walsh also played well in defence. The U16Bs competed and lost 2-0 to a better side, while the U16As led 1-0 for most of the match against an outstanding Grey side. Cameron Chadwick displayed his class as he kept St Andrew’s in the match. Unfortunately, the attacking pressure which Grey exerted proved too much as they finally won 3-1 scoring their goals late in the match.
The 4th XI were typically game in their match losing 4-1, where Scott Cuthbert and Baz Paton were effective on attack but couldn’t convert their chances. The 3rd XI played excellent hockey but had to settle for a 1-1 draw. Chris Norval and Gareth Sparks controlled the midfield to ensure this dominance. The 2nd XI also competed against a good Grey outfit and would have felt in the game after Dale Jevon pulled a goal back for St Andrew’s in the second half making it 2-1. Joe Fisher and Dan Erasmus also had superb matches. However, the Grey strikers proved to be effective and scored two more at the death to win 4-1.
The St Andrew’s 1sts win was deserved as they played with discipline and patience against a very well-organised Grey defence who tried to catch them on the counter in the second half. Richard Brown was typically hard-working in his 50th match for the Four Squares, and he was ably assisted by Josh Marx and Ryan Stoddart who had to contain a talented Grey midfield. Although St Andrew’s led for most of the second half and controlled the game, the outcome was not sealed until Peter Jarvis, for the umpteenth time this season, collected a ball in the midfield, laid off a pass, sprinted for the return to deliver an excellent ball for Zuko Yaka to tap in making the final score 2-0.
