Sentinel Homes Premier Hockey League: Men

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Men’s Fixtures

Men’s Results

22nd Nov 2020: Hauraki Mavericks vs Central Falcons

The Central Falcons have capped off a perfect weekend with a comprehensive 6-2 win over the Hauraki Mavericks. The Mavericks fought their way back into the match in the fourth quarter only for the Falcons to pull away late and seal the game.

The Central Falcons came into the contest with the Hauraki Mavericks riding high after earning a maximum eight points from their opening two games. It was the Falcons who would get the first scoring opportunity of the match when they earned themselves a penalty corner. Leon Hayward would gobble up the Jacob Smith flick.

The Mavericks late in the quarter would get an opportunity of their own through a penalty corner when the Falcons couldn’t stop Simon Child cleanly in the circle. Nic Woods would fake the drag-flick for Simon Child to upright hit. Falcons goalkeeper Dominic Dixon pulled off an outstanding save to keep the score 0-0.

Late in the first quarter, the Falcons got themselves on the score sheet when Joe Hanks received a great flick into the corner pocket. His bouncing cross ball was deflected into the goal by Sam Hiha for his second goal of the Sentinel Homes Premier Hockey League.

With time winding down in the first half it was the Central Falcons who would double their lead when a loose ball in the circle rebounded to Mac Wilcox at the top of the circle who would then thunder the ball into the backboard.

With time running down in the third quarter, Stephen Jenness received a long pass, while ensuring his momentum kept going forward would put an outstanding flat reverse across the goal to a lowdown Nick Wilson to touch in his second goal of the match.

Trailing by three goals entering the final quarter, the Hauraki Mavericks made the brave call to pull their goalkeeper to create an overlap for themselves. They were almost immediately rewarded when they earned themselves a penalty corner. Nic Woods would flick the ball into the goal to make the score 3-1. Only moments later the Mavericks got their second when Matt Rees-Gibbs smashed the ball into the goal to bring the Mavericks within a goal.

The Falcons regained their composure and with the goal still open Callum Olsen would end up with the rebound and push the ball into the goal. The leadwas reestablished as Nick Wilson scored second goal of the contest smashing a reverse into the top of the goal.

The Falcons sealed the win with six minutes to go when they got a penalty corner with still no goalkeeper. Dane Lett flicked it straight down the middle of the goal as the Falcons now had six goals in the match.

Central Falcons 6 (Sam Hiha 12 min, Mac Wilcox 28 min, Nick Wilson 45, 51 min, Callum Olsen 50 min, Dane Lett 54 min)

Hauraki Mavericks 2 (Nic Woods 48 min, Matt Rees-Gibbs 49 min)

22nd Nov 2020: Northern Tridents vs Southern Alpiners

The Northern Tridents have secured their first points of the Sentinel Homes Premier Hockey League with a come from behind 2-2 draw with the Southern Alpiners. The Tridents would score the bonus point with a shootout win 4-3.

The Alpiners and Tridents entered their contest on Sunday in search of their first win of the Sentinel Homes Premier Hockey League. The Alpiners were smarting after two last-minute goals cost them points on the previous two days.

Early on it was the Alpiners who were the aggressors on the pitch. They constructed several scoring opportunities and had the Tridents on the back foot from the get-go. In the sixth minute of the match, the Alpiners would convert their first penalty corner when a Sam Lane drag-flick was too fast for the Tridents goalkeeper. The Alpiners continued to apply pressure on the Tridents defensive line and earned themselves a further two penalty corners. The Tridents were holding on as they continued to stifle the Alpiners attacking threats.

Starting the second quarter with the same fire of the first, the Southern Alpiners converted an early scoring opportunity when a one-touch pass from Hugo Inglis found an open Sam Lane in the circle who bounced the ball over the Tridents goalkeeper for his second goal of the match.

Later in the quarter, Sam Huston managed to toe a fine line along the attacking baseline as he juggled the ball and touched it between the legs of George Enersen to bring the Tridents back within striking distance before the halftime break.

The Northern Tridents came out in the second half looking compose

d as they continued their charge back into the contest. They would stretch the Alpiners defence on several occasions early in the third quarter.

Early in the fourth quarter the Alpiners broke down the field through an outstanding Hugo Inglis run. Dominic Newman crashed the ball from Inglis into the circle for a diving Blair Tarrant who wasn’t able to deflect the ball into the goal as the score remained the same.

With only six minutes remaining in the match, the Tridents levelled the scores when a ball came in across the face of the goal. George Enersen would make the initial save before Sam Houston would grab the rebound and put the ball back into the net.

For the second time this weekend, the Alpiners went to a penalty shootout to decide the match. The Northern Tridents would seal the bonus point with a 4-3 shootout win for their first points of the Sentinel Homes Premier Hockey League.

Southern Alpiners 2 (Sam Lane 6, 17 min)

Northern Tridents 2 (Sam Houston 23, 55 min)

21st Nov 2020: Hauraki Mavericks vs Southern Alpiners

The Hauraki Mavericks have equalised in the dying moments of their match against the Southern Apliners to send the game to a penalty shootout. It was one-way traffic in the shootout as Leon Hayward would pull off some big saves to seal the bonus point for the home side.

The Alpiners and Mavericks are two sides littered with Vantage Black Sticks players, and the contest promised to be a tight encounter with plenty of attacking hockey on display. Early on it was the Mavericks who had the better of the game and were rewarded early on when they got themselves a penalty corner.

Nic Woods would put a low drag-flick into the goal that would put the Mavericks in front 1-0.

Hugo Inglis is continuing to work his way back from injury and was showing some excellent touches while on the ball, he would put a great overhead through to Sam Lane at the top of the circle who rolled around the goalkeeper and would lay the ball off to Finn Ward to touch into the goal and tie the match up.

Inglis would be back in the thick of things just before the half time break when he weaved through several defenders in the circle on his way to putting the ball in the net. The Alpiners went into the sheds with a one-goal lead and looking for a big second half to get their first win of the Sentinel Homes Premier Hockey League.

Needing a goal, it was the Mavericks who were pushing forward early in the second half as they played with increased focus and discipline on the attacking end. They were continuing to be denied by the Alpiners all-star defensive unit.

With thirty seconds left on the clock and the Alpiners looking to close the Mavericks out, they conceded a penalty corner. Nic Woods would step up and put in his second drag-flick of the day to tie the match up and send the contest to a penalty shootout.

It was the Mavericks who would dominate the shootout 2-1 behind goals to Nic Woods and Simon Child as they claimed the bonus point for the shootout win and solidified second place on the Sentinel Homes Premier Hockey League table.

Southern Alpiners 2 (Finn Ward 9 min, Hugo Inglis 29 min)

Hauraki Mavericks 2 (Nic Woods 6 min, 60 min)

*Mavericks won shootout 2-1

21st Nov 2020: Central Falcons vs Northern Tridents

The Central Falcons hit the lead early against the Northern Tridents and would hold firm throughout the contest to see off the challenge of the Tridents as they went on to take the game 3-1.

The Falcons entered the match full of confidence following their last-second win over the Southern Alpiners on Thursday night. They came out of the blocks as the aggressor as they were pressing the Northern Tridents defence and forcing them into several turnovers. Midway through the first quarter Jacob Smith found some space in the attacking 25 and drove with speed into the circle. Smith would then flick the ball over the goalkeeper’s shoulder to put the Falcons in the lead 1-0.

The Tridents started to gain some confidence as the quarter wore on, and with moments left in the quarter, they earned themselves the first penalty corner of the match. Falcons goalkeeper Dominic Dixon would bring out the big right glove to deny the Tridents the equalising goal.

Entering the second quarter the speed of the match went up a notch as both sides looked to shift the opposition defence and construct opportunities to get themselves on the front foot. The Tridents would have the first penalty corner of the second quarter, once more Dominic Dixon would pull off a strong reaching save.

The second half would start with the Falcons holding a narrow lead. They started the half looking to stretch out the game and overload down the flanks. Midway through the third quarter, the Falcons earned themselves a penalty corner, Jacob Smith would convert on his drag-flick for his second goal of the contest.

Early in the final quarter, the Falcons would get several opportunities to extend their lead. Some outstanding goalkeeping denied the Falcons on several scoring opportunities. With seven minutes to go the Tridents would get themselves back into the contest when Robbie Capizzi rocketed a shot into the top of the net to bring the Tridents within a goal of the Falcons.

Desperately searching for the equalising goal, with five minutes to go in the match the Northern Tridents pulled their goalkeeper. The Falcons would take their opportunity and sealed the game when Sam Hiha put the ball into the open goal.

Central Falcons 3 (Jacob Smith 8, 39 min, Sam Hiha 59 min)

Northern Tridents 1 (Robbie Capizzi 54 min)

19th Nov 2020: Central Falcons vs Southern Alpiners

The battle between the Southern Alpiners and Central Falcons has finished with an exhilarating last-second goal from the Falcons to seal an exciting 2-1 win over the Alpiners. The match was a high-quality encounter between two sides who are looking formidable early on in the Sentinel Homes Premier Hockey League.

The first quarter was a tactical match which would see the midfield of both teams playing with some attacking intent as they searched for weaknesses in the opposition defence. The Alpiners were looking resolute on defence and would have better scoring chances in the first quarter however neither side was able to trouble the scorers in a fast-paced and open first quarter.

The Falcons came out in the second quarter firing and started to put the Alpiners under immense pressure as they searched for the opening goal. In the sixth minute of the second quarter, Jordan Cohen threaded a great ball into the circle to Nick Wilson. Not worried about the Alpiners goalkeeper Wilson avoided the defence and put in a slick reverse shot to put the Falcons up 1-0.

The highly competitive contest resumed in the third quarter as both sides stepped up the physical play and skill on the pitch. The Falcons would go incredibly close on several occasions to extending their lead. G

eorge Enersen was pulling off some clutch saves to deny the Falcons attacking unit and keep the lead at only 1-0.

The Alpiners continued to persist throwing everything they had at the Falcons defence. With ten minutes to go, the Alpiners were rewarded when a strong baseline drive would see a ball go across the face of the goal to an open Dominic Newman to touch the ball into the goal.

With time running down quickly in the match the Alpiners would go agonizingly close on several occasions only for the post and the Falcons goalkeeper Dominic Dixon to deny them. The contest seemed to be heading towards a penalty shootout before a miracle behind the back pass from Harry Miskimmin went to a diving Joe Hanks for the winning goal with only two seconds remaining on the clock.

Southern Alpiners 1 (Dominic Newman 50 min)

Central Falcons 2 (Nick Wilson 21 min, Joe Hanks 60 min)

19th Nov 2020: Hauraki Mavericks vs Northern Tridents

The Hauraki Mavericks got their Sentinel Homes Premier Hockey League off to a fantastic start with a convincing 2-0 win over the Northern Tridents. The Mavericks would hit the lead early in the first quarter and then keep the Tridents at bay through the rest of the contest behind a strong defensive effort.

Only minutes into the match the Hauraki Mavericks got themselves onto the scoreboard when Jacob Soo Choon would broke down the left-hand side of the field and pulled out a ripping a reverse stick shot past the Tridents goalkeeper that put the hometown side in the lead.

The Mavericks extended their lead midway through the first quarter when Nic Woods surged into the circle driving along the baseline before laying the ball back to the spot for Simon Child to tap in a straightforward goal.

Following the setback of the second goal, the Northern Tridents managed to regroup and started to construct several opportunities themselves. The Tridents went into the halftime break knowing that they had more circle entries than the Mavericks and that they were still within striking distance of the Mavericks entering the second spell.

The second half would prove to be a tactical battle as the Tridents aimed to get themselves back into the contest as they shifted the Mavericks defence from side to side on the turf. In the end, it was a stoic defence that would deny every Tridents opportunity and seal the four points for the Mavericks.

Both teams will take a well-earned rest day before returning to the turf on Saturday.

Hauraki Mavericks 2 (Jacob Soo Choon 1 min, Simon Child 12 min)

Northern Tridents 0