Jeppe downs DHS in a thriller
After the mid-year holiday break, some of Gauteng’s leading hockey teams returned to the AstroTurf on Saturday, with a number of tantalising fixtures on the slate.
Among the sides that hosted top opposition were Jeppe High School for Boys, King Edward VII School, and Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies).
At the heart of the action was the much-anticipated showdown between Jeppe High School for Boys and Durban High School (DHS).
The game, played on the Bowden AstroTurf, was a closely contested battle between two proud hockey institutions, with Jeppe ultimately emerging victorious by a 4-2 margin.
From the opening whistle, both sides showed clear intent, pressing high and moving the ball with speed.
It was tightly contested, with DHS creating created several chances and pushing Jeppe to the limit, especially in the second half, when the visitors raised their intensity.
There was next to nothing between the teams in the opening half, with only a Jeppe goal off a penalty corner rebound in the last minute of the second chukka separating them.
The hosts extended their advantage to 2-0 after three chukkas before the game finally opened up in the last quarter, with both teams striking twice.
Speaking after the match, Jeppe coach Siya Sityana acknowledged the challenge posed by the KZN visitors: “DHS is a very good side and a very difficult team to play against. They made it hard for us,” he said.
“They’ve got good individual players, and they fight hard. It was not easy at all. They had a few chances to actually go ahead, just like we did.”
Reflecting on the overall outcome of the game, Sityana added: “I think we left a lot of chances out there, too, but the score is a true reflection of the game. As much as I say any team could have won it, I think 4–2 tells the story of how closely fought it was.”
The match showcased some standout performers, but it was the hosts who finished better to come away with a well-deserved win. DHS, with trademark resilience and discipline, stayed in the game until the final whistle.
On the Weinberg Astro, at KES, the home team, the Red Sticks, produced a strong performance against Pretoria Boys High. They controlled the contest throughout to record a 2-0 statement victory.
In Pretoria, Affies edged out Maritzburg College in another tight clash, claiming a nail-biting 3–2 victory.
In a back-and-forth contest, both teams showed attacking flair and defensive grit, but it was Affies who held their nerve in key moments to snatch a vital victory over the renowned KZN powerhouse.
