EP women take on SA hockey's best
FEW who were at the KC March astro last year will forget the battle between Eastern Province and Border for fifth place at the SA women's hockey interprovincial.
The pool A match went to Border 4-0 – the biggest ever EP defeat in the long history of tussles between the two.
Just 48 hours later, captain Liesel Dorothy's determined EP girls edged the East Londoners in the tensest of atmospheres that would have made the late KC March delight in the sheer drama of the sport he so dearly loved.
EP had trailed Border for an agonising 46 minutes before the young South Africa-capped striker Toni Marks equalised with a penalty corner. The PE girls went on to win a penalty shootout 2-1 with their many fans' cheers echoing around Gelvandale.
Push fast forward and it is IPT time again, this time in Maritzburg, and this time Athens 2004 Olympian Dorothy will be holding the coaching reins.
The A section starts tomorrow, with Eastern Province, sponsored by Fain, tackling champions Southern Gauteng at noon.
In second-tier B Section action today, EP Settlers – bronze medallists last year – face SA Country Districts at 10am.
The EP teams are:
Fain Eastern Province: Terry Lourens, Carolina da Sousa, Kirsty Tonks, Shannon Arnold, Tristan Schroeder, Kelly Dorothy, Sarah Cuppleditch, Nicole Kemp, Lou Ann Botha, Toni Marks, Zimitri Meyer, Doney O'Reilly, Michelle du Toit, Shona Niekerk, Fazaana Fredericks, Catherine Vaghi. Coach: Liesel Dorothy. Manager: Iris Vaghi.
Fain EP Settlers: Namatai Mtisi, Christine Vorster, Janine Stapelfeldt, Bianca Chan, Courtney Every, Nicole December, Jade Every, Kimberleigh Naidoo, Nishaat Isaacs, Megan Fish, Robyn Thomson, Hanneke Strydom, Suaad Abrahams, Razaana Ajam, Jen Taunton, Christine Buckle, Sarah Fish, Michelle Badman. Coach: Ashwynne Prinsloo. Manager: Daphne Delport.
OLD Grey held a determined Pirates at bay to register a 3-1 victory in an EP men's premier league fixture at Westering yesterday.
You might have expected the eventual winners to take control of the match after they led 3-0 seven minutes into the second half, but Pirates must be given full credit for working hard in the second period as they strove to bridge the gap.
Having survived a penalty stroke just three minutes after conceding the third goal, Pirates kept hammering away at the Old Grey defence but battled to find a way through.
Eventually, they were rewarded for their endeavour with a successful penalty-corner strike from Jeremy Smith in the 56th minute.
Even though pushed, Old Grey were sharp enough to protect their lead and they, too, will probably be disappointed at missing several chances.
Wade Lindhorst scored twice for Old Grey and their third came from Mazan dos Santos. In a fixture played on Friday, Gelvan Hurricanes defeated Lakeside Cavaliers in a tough derby 2-0. – Jonathan Cook. Additional reporting by Neale Emslie
