Selborne dominates Pearson while Dale, Hudson, and Queen’s win big
Selborne College, Hudson Park High School, Dale College, and Queen’s College recorded significant victories on Friday night, on the opening weekend of derby action in the Eastern Cape.
All four sides were in fine form, operating at their best, while producing entertaining hockey.
Selborne defeated Pearson High 5-1, while Hudson beat Cambridge High 4-1. Dale College joined the party with a 4-2 win over Merrifield College, and Queen’s College had a blast in Komani, beating Stirling High 5-0.
The clash between Selborne and Pearson caught the attention of many hockey fans within the Border region. It was expected to be an evenly contested game, but the hosts gained the ascendency early on.
Playing in front of their supporters after a poor showing at the Nomads Hockey Festival, Selborne came alive and showcased some great skills while controlling the tempo of the match.
Thomas Caswell led from the front, netting twice. He was joined on the scoresheet by his skipper, Gray van Heerden, who was playing his 50th game for the 1st XI. Further goals from Saneze Kweba and Inathi Gxobole sealed the win.
“The boys played some really good hockey today,” Selborne head coach KJ Friend told SuperSport Schools Plus after the game.
“It’s been a steady improvement since the start of Nomads. We just wanted to do the basics right and stick to our strengths and plan.”
After the resounding victory, Selborne will shift their attention to a massive derby clash against Dale College next weekend.
Speaking of Dale College, the boys from Qonce also kicked off their league season in style in East London. Fresh from taking part in the Founders Hockey Festival in Pretoria last month, they took on Merrifield College.
Skipper Sibongisile Nzima set a superb example and slotted a pair of goals, while his teammates Bulele Siswana and Caleb Ellis chipped in to complete the 4-2 victory.
Hudson Park, meanwhile, claimed an impressive win over their arch-rivals Cambridge High School.
Hudson is brimming with confidence, after performing well at the Belgotex Sport Easter Hockey Festival, which was hosted in Cape Town earlier this month. There, coach Sipe Matafeni‘s boys finished in eighth spot out of 48 teams.
They showed their intent from the get-go, made life difficult for the hosts, and capitalised on their opportunities.
Somila Mkokeli found the back of the net twice, while goals by Lunathi Solwandle and Hlomla Ndlovu completed the drubbing.
In another Friday night fixture, Queen’s College hosted Stirling in Komani.
Queen’s, who are flying under the radar this season, made a massive statement by beating the East London side 5-0.
Asi Vena led the home side’s scorers, striking twice, while Aya Maduma, Brett Hoffmann, and Tofiro Kagoro helped make it a handful of goals.
RESULTS
Selborne College 5-1 Pearson High School
Hudson Park 4-1 Cambridge High School
Dale College 4-2 Merrifield College
Queen’s College 5-0 Stirling High School
