Maritzburg College and Affies share the spoils
Maritzburg College and Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies) shared the spoils in a closely contested 1-1 draw on Pape’s Astro on Saturday morning in Pietermaritzburg.
There was little to separate the sides for most of the tie.
Throughout the season, College has asserted themselves on the game by controlling possession and, thus, controlling territory, which has led to them creating opportunities. Against Affies, Kyle Emerson’s charges did their best to play their natural game and take control of the contest, but they simply failed to make as many circle entries as they would have liked.
“We didn’t create enough and weren’t effective in our forward movement,” Mark Sanders, College’s Director of Hockey, explained.
One of the reasons for that was Blake Goosen. The Affies’ coach and Head of Hockey is familiar with College’s approach to the game, having spent his teenage years competing against them. Goosen is a Westville alumnus and has first-hand experience.
He arrived prepared. Affies flooded the midfield and didn’t give the College ball carriers the room and space to express themselves. Goosen’s charges did not just develop this method of play with College in mind, it has been part of their new approach all season long.
“It’s been something we’ve been prepping over the season, but specifically coming back into term three, we are focussing on the tactical elements of the game, letting the players play when we go on the attack, but defensively, protecting the house, protecting the areas we want to and need to, especially against a good side with a very good midfield like College,” Goosen explained.
College matched the Affies’ defensive effort. Emerson’s team was equally solid at the back and did not allow the visitors to freely play in the circle or have clear shots on goal. The fewer goals they concede, the healthier the platform College has to create opportunities, Sanders said. This has been a part of their blueprint for the hockey programme across the age groups.
After the teams had gone into half-time at 0-0, Maritzburg College took the lead early in the third chukka.
Affies were on the offence, attacking deep into the College half down the right channel. Then, their midfielders ran into Ryan McKean, close to the College baseline. He won the ball for the home side and displayed silky skills as he carried it towards the halfway line before releasing a counterattack.
Julian Konigkramer took on the Affies defence with a brilliant run and was about to fix his radar on goal when he was tackled by the visitors’ goalkeeper, football style. That tackle earned College a penalty stroke, which Uyanda Dlamini converted.
Over the years, the Red, Black and White has earned a well-deserved reputation of pushing teams until the last second of play. This time around, the tables were turned on them. Affies was relentless as they hunted for an equaliser.
“That’s part of our culture. We will take teams to the end; we will outrun, outsprint, and outfight teams. It’s Affies’ guts,” Goosen reckoned.
With just over two minutes left in the game, the Pretoria side won the ball on the halfway line and launched another attack. Goosen’ charges strung together passes until they reached the edge of the D. A shot was fired off on goal and went it rebounded to Wian van Schalkwyk, the Affies’ captain wasted no time and fired the ball past goalkeeper Nick Holmes.
“Most of the games this season, with this group of players – they’re quite a young team – they’ve shown a lot of character and they’ve done it in many games. Coming back to get draws or victories like this,” Goosen shared.
College’s hunt for a winner in the last minute of play yielded no circle entries and Affies were happy to hold them at bay and claim a hard-earned draw.
RESULTS
u19 – Maritzburg College 1st 1-1 Affies 1st; Maritzburg College 2nd 1-0 Affies 2nd; Maritzburg College 3rd 0-3 Affies 3rd; Maritzburg College 4th 2-2 Affies 4th; Maritzburg College 5th 3-2 Affies 5th
u16 – Maritzburg College A 1-1 Affies A; Maritzburg College B 0-1 Affies B; Maritzburg College C 2-6 Affies C; Maritzburg College D 1-6 Affies D; Maritzburg College E 2-2 Affies E; Maritzburg College F 2-0 Affies F; Maritzburg College G 3-1 Affies G
u14 – Maritzburg College A 2-2 Affies A; Maritzburg College B 1-1 Affies B; Maritzburg College C 2-1 Affies C; Maritzburg College D 0-3 Affies D; Maritzburg College E 1-0 Affies E
