KZN Coastal peaks at the right time at SASHOC National Week
KZN Coastal A booked a place in the SASHOC National Week final, courtesy of an outstanding 2-0 semi-final victory over Eastern Province A on Pape’s Astro, at Maritzburg College, on Friday afternoon.
“We are very privileged and honoured to be in the final,” Chardinay Penniston, the KZN Coastal coach, told SuperSport Schools Plus afterwards. “I think the girls have put in a big shift.
“Everything we’ve stuck to and our structures, and how we play and how we would like this process to look at the end, has finally come together. So, it’s a truly good experience and we’re looking forward to the final.”
Coastal will lock horns with Boland A in the title game, which takes place at 10:05 on Saturday morning.
Last year, the KwaZulu-Natal Coastal side finished third. They’re already assured of going at least one place better, but they have their sights set on lifting the trophy
Penniston’s charges reached the semifinals by fighting their way through a tough Pool B, where they faced serious challengers in KZN Inland A, Western Province A, and last year’s runner-up, Northern Gauteng A. They also had to deal with Western Province B and Border A.
“Our pool was exceptionally hard. We fell short against Inland. It’s a KZN derby, so that was really hard, but we picked ourselves up in the next few games,” Penniston said.
A 0-1 loss to Inland was sandwiched between two high-scoring victories, a 4-0 triumph over Province B and a 5-0 walloping of Border. However, Coastal showed true character when they fought back to secure a 3-3 draw against Western Province A after trailing 0-2.
Penniston said her team’s ability and willingness to stick to their structure is a major reason for their success.
Coastal’s players have also proved to be dynamic when they have needed to change their formations. Instead of trying to force matters, they have adapted to different conditions and have always tried to do what they felt was in the team’s best interests.
It worked for them in their semi-final showdown with the previously unbeaten Eastern Province. They installed a game plan that kept EP captain Abigail Holderness off the scoresheet.
With nine goals to her name, Holderness tops the tournament’s goalscoring charts. Her outstanding play had been the engine that has driven the EP challenge. On Friday, though, the KZN Coastal defenders denied her room to express herself.
The side’s dynamic midfielders and forwards also caused problems for Eastern Province, and one of their attacks resulted in a penalty stroke in the 23rd minute, which Jamie da Silva converted to give KZN Coastal the lead.
It remained tight as Coastal held onto a precarious one-goal advantage until the 59th minute. Then, Caprice Bengtson ended Eastern Province’s dreams of a comeback when she rammed in her first goal of the tournament. KZN Coastal led 2-0 and EP was unable to muster a response.
KZN Coastal will have a tough job on their hands when they go up against coach Chris Gerber and his Boland team in the final. The local lasses, though, have no intention of changing their winning formula. They’ll stick to their structure and adapt their play to the game’s demands.
Results
Western Province B (3) 3 – Tatum Malherbe, Kate Naiker, Inam Gungebele. Southern Gauteng B: (2) 3 – Dannika Ramroop (2), Kayla Williscroft
Border A: 2 – Busiwe Mayekiso, Kishka Baartman. Northern Gauteng B: 1 – Priella Nsubuga
Boland A: (3) 2 – Cassie Fairbairn, Leah du Plessis. Western Province A: (0) 2 – Nina Wides (2)
Northern Gauteng A: 2 – Lisa Grey, Andrea Groenewald. Southern Free State A: 0.
KZN Coastal A: 2 – Jamie da Silva, Caprice Bengtson. Eastern Province A: 0.
Southern Gauteng A: 4 – Tori Tanner-Ellis, Azania Petersen, Keovaan Jansen, Amber Fairon. KZN Inland A: 0.
Fixtures
07:30 – Southern Gauteng A vs Northern Gauteng A (5 and 6)
08:40 – Border A vs Western Province B (9 and 10)
08:40 – Northern Gauteng B vs Southern Gauteng B (11 and 12)
09:50 – KZN Inland A vs Southern Free State A (7 and 8)
10:20 – Boland A vs KZN Coastal A (final)
11:15 – Eastern Province A vs Western Province A (3 and 4)
