Penalty corner precision sees St Alban’s to win over Pretoria Boys High
St Alban’s College turned on the style to claim a hard-fought 3-1 home victory over their neighbours, Pretoria Boys High School (PBHS), in a Hyundai Friday Nite Lights fixture.
Playing at home, St Alban’s delivered a fast-paced game in front of a packed crowd, securing a win that was, undoubtedly, one of the highlights of a very good season for the blue and grey.
From the first whistle, the teams came out gun blazing, but the defenders on both ends performed their duties solidly to keep the scoreboard static.
In the final minute of the first chukka, though, St Alban’s edged in front by capitalising on a penalty corner.
That goal appeared to give them an injection of confidence, and they doubled their lead in the second chukka with another clinical penalty corner finish, which beat Boys High’s outstanding goalkeeper Owen McMenamin low and to his right.
Despite going two goals down, Boys High continued to play good hockey. They came out more forcefully in the third chukka, pressing high, and made better use of their possession.
Their efforts and persistence paid off when they pulled one goal back with a rocket of a drag flick from a PC to make it 2-1 and ignite the hope of a comeback.
However, in a carbon copy of their second goal, St Alban’s struck again in the last minute of the third chukka, much to the delight of the home crowd.
Up 3-1, they controlled the tempo of the game and maintained their composure through the final quarter to score an outstanding win.
“It was a great atmosphere out there, and the first half of hockey was arguably some of the best hockey we have played this season,” said St Alban’s Director of Hockey, Robin Jones.
“Credit to the boys as they stuck to the plan and executed a lot of what we did in training.
“We were particularly pleased with our penalty corner routine on the night, and credit to the boys who managed to score past a very good goalkeeper.”
Jones also praised Pretoria Boys High for their fightback in the second half and acknowledged the physicality of the encounter: “PBHS did well to get back into the game in the second half, and with cards going both ways, the last quarter became a real test of grit.
“A saved stroke and a third goal helped us get over the line in what was a hard-fought encounter – a really great advert for schoolboy hockey.”
In another big Pretoria derby, Hoërskool Garsfontein continued their strong run of form with a dominant 4-0 victory over Die Hoërskool Menlopark.
Garsfontein’s attacking unit was clinical, punishing defensive errors and controlling the game throughout.
Midstream College also enjoyed a convincing 4-0 win, brushing aside Hoërskool Overkruin in a one-sided affair.
RESULTS
St Alban’s College 3-1 Pretoria Boys High
Hoërskool Garsfontein 4-0 Die Hoërskool Menlopark
Midstream College 4-0 Hoërskool Overkruin
