Pretoria Boys High and St Stithians bag thrilling victories
Pretoria Boys High School (PBHS) hosted Parktown Boys’ High and Springs Boys’ High on Friday for a full load of hockey matches across all age groups.
Last weekend, Pretoria Boys High went down against Jeppe, losing a tight game 0-1, but on Friday they came out on the right end of the result, defeating Parktown 2-0.
Across the age groups, Boys High sparkled, with their junior sides also producing strong results.
The clash of the 1st XIs featured quick movement and strong defensive play from both teams, but PBHS, with some superb saves from their goalkeeper, kept a clean sheet and claimed the win.
The other PBHS open age group teams also recorded victories, with the 2nd XI winning 2-0, while the 3rd XI ran out 4-0 winners, and the 4th XI eased to a 6-0 win.
The clash of the u16A teams ended in a stalemate, while Parktown’s u16B side was the only visiting team to win, claiming a 2-1 success.
The Springs Boys’ High 1st XI took on Pretoria Boys High’s 6th side and picked up a 3-0 victory.
In Johannesburg, St Stithians College and St Benedict’s College duelled on Thursday.
In a lively contest, there was plenty to keep the fans entertained and their nerves on edge. After an even start, Saints began to assert control and slowly started to dictate play. It brought them a 3-1 win after a tight tussle.
“Saints dominated in the first half. [They were] a lot more confident, a lot more calm, [with] good defenders at the back.” Bennies‘ head coach Owen Mvimbi said.
“Saints’ defenders were calm on the ball, and they tried to manipulate the press. Sometimes it went well, sometimes we turned them over, but they were a lot calmer and more confident and holistic as a team. Therefore, they created more chances.”
Despite being kept on the back foot, St Benedict’s stuck manfully to their task, making St Stithians work hard for their goals and the win. It was a game of high intensity, said Mvimbi.
“The energy from both teams was quite high. I think they controlled more of the game. Our boys wanted to play but were quite frustrated, and they kept giving the ball away, sometimes not knowing where to pass, sometimes not knowing how to defend against the St Stithians’ outlet.
“That made it made it difficult in the second half. When you are chasing the game, you have to give your all and fight through it so that the confidence comes back.
After Saints scored their third, Bennies forced a couple of penalty corners, but St Stithians remained composed to ensure the result went their way.
RESULTS
Friday, 21 March
1st – PBHS 2-0 Parktown
2nd – PBHS 2-0 Parktown
3rd – PBHS 5-0 Parktown
4th- PBHS 6-0 Parktown
5th – PBHS 4-0 Parktown
6th – PBHS 0-3 Springs’ Boys High 1st
u16A – PBHS 0-0 Parktown
u16B – PBHS 1-2 Parktown
u16C – PBHS 2-0 Parktown
u16D – PBHS 2-0 Parktown
u16E – PBHS 7-1 Parktown
u16F: PBHS 4-0 Parktown
Thursday, 20 March
St Stithians 3-1 St Benedict’s
