Westville outlasts Northwood, Glenwood and Maritzburg College share the spoils
Westville Boys’ High produced a tactically astute performance on their way to a 3-2 victory over a well-drilled Northwood on the Westville Astro on Friday night.
At the 3 Schools Astro, in Durban, the home team, Glenwood High, came from behind to secure a 2-2 draw with Maritzburg College.
Westville headed into their Friday Nite Lights contest buoyed by an unbeaten run at the King Edward VII (KES) Easter Festival.
The Griffins had made a slow start to the season, struggling to close out matches. That led to coach Harold Siyaya making some tweaks, which transformed their approach.
At the Belgotex Sport Coastal Cup, they raised their game. At KES, they fired on all cylinders.
“We’re definitely in a good space at the moment. We’re confident in our game and backing ourselves against everyone. We know it won’t be easy, and there may still be setbacks,” Siyaya told SuperSport Schools Plus.
He took on the 1st XI coaching job at Westville when the school’s Director of Hockey, Cameron Mackay, opted for a less demanding but very important post in 2026, taking charge of the u14A side.
Siyaya picked up from where Mackay had left off and has kept the Griffins on an upward trajectory, promoting a free-flowing system that allows Westville to play a quick passing game. With pace and skilful players in their ranks, Westville has been a force on the counterattack.
Their clash against Northwood was an attritional game in the first half, which ended 0-0. In the third chukka, the Griffins took the lead and held onto it into the final chukka, which featured a deluge of goals, with Westville scoring twice, and the Knights replying with two goals of their own.
“The boys put together a defensive masterclass. We played a Northwood team that moves the ball really well. Our PC Defence team was exceptional; we conceded 12 penalty corners, and Northwood only managed to score one,” Siyaya said.
Samkelo Mgwaba netted a field goal for Westville, while Ethan James and Bo Mokoena converted penalty corners.
Nearer the coast, Glenwood showed admirable determination to overcome a 0-2 deficit to force a 2-2 draw with Maritzburg College.
Coach Mark Sanders’ charges pushed Glenwood onto the back foot with two first chukka strikes through Greg Hosking and Sbu Mchunu. Those setbacks, however, brought a spirited fightback from the home side, but the visitors held firm, maintaining their two-goal advantage at the halftime break.
Eventually, with eight minutes left in the third chukka, Glenwood’s efforts were rewarded, thanks to Lord Makgato, who was introduced after the halftime break, and caused problems for College with his enterprising runs.
When the Grade 9 learner won his team a penalty corner, Glenwood’s captain, Murray Wicks, teed up a shot from the top of the circle, and Ezile Makhathini deflected it into the back of the net.
Boosted by that goal, Glenwood had their tails up and were unrelenting, pressing hard for an equaliser.
Their pressure led to College, under duress, making errors. Makgato was again the catalyst for Glenwood’s equaliser, making a circle entry and getting fouled, which led to the home side being awarded a penalty stroke with two minutes remaining.
Wicks made it count.
Results
Westville Boys’ High 3-2 Northwood
Glenwood 2-2 Maritzburg College
