So close, yet again, for Tainui.
The Oamaru hockey club was within spitting distance of its first win in the South Canterbury premier men’s competition before being held to a 3-3 draw by Cambridge in Timaru last weekend.
Tainui scored the first goal, led 2-1 at halftime, and was in charge at 3-2 with just minutes to play when Cambridge grabbed the equaliser.
“We’re starting to get into a wee pattern where we score but then we let our opponents back into it a couple of minutes later,” Tainui player-coach Jared Ovens said.
“We’ve got to work on stamping that out and maybe concentrating a bit better after we score a goal.”
Marshall Hore scored the opening goal for Tainui, Josh Dalziel grabbed the second from a stroke, and Logan Lory scored the third.
Tainui has certainly picked up its performance in recent weeks, and Ovens hopes the side’s steady improvement will continue.
“Our forward play is a lot better, and positioning-wise, we’re doing what we want to do.
“We just need to show a bit more execution and cut out these little mistakes.”
Tainui hosts Temuka this weekend, before the competition goes on hold for the Ian Smith Trophy provincial tournament in Cromwell.
– Tainui’s second division team hit top form with a 7-1 rout of Cambridge at the weekend.
Bradley McIntosh led Tainui with a hat trick of goals, while Lance Sheehy and Ryan Mackay added two each.
– An Anna Scott hat trick led the Waitaki Girls’ High School First XI to a 7-3 win over Pirata Blue in the North Otago senior mixed competition.
Ethan Johnson grabbed two goals to help the Waitaki Boys’ High School Second XI pip Pirata Black 3-2, Waitaki Girls’ Development beat St Kevin’s College Development 3-1, and Pirata White and the St Kevin’s girls First XI battled out a 0-0 draw.
– Oamaru hosts the Finch Rose Bowl tournament at Queen’s Birthday Weekend.
Three women’s teams – Central Otago, Southern Under-18 Development and South Canterbury Under-18 – will join the North Otago side for a round robin and finals.
