In what was the second game of the Varsity Hockey on day three, Kovsies all the way from the Free State, managed to finally grab their first win in the tournament, when they beat fellow strugglers Madibaz, 4-2.
The game was always bound to be a fierce encounter, with both sides going in search of their first win in this year’s Varsity Hockey campaign. The competitiveness was immediately evident, when both teams struggled to get a goal early on in the first quarter. The action was very entertaining, with the sides often being involved in a ‘ping pong’ battle.
The score was level at 0-0 at the start of the second quarter. First blood was, however, drawn by Kovsies in the second quarter, who fought hard to pick the ball up in a counter attack and unleash Willie Kruger in the circle, who had no problem finishing well to give his side a 2-0 lead.
The men in red continued to try get another but the Madibaz were having none of it, with their coach being very animated on the touch line making sure things were kept tight at the back. This meant the sides then went off to get a bit of a breather with Kovsies more at ease, leading 2-0 in this crucial encounter.
The second half saw the Madibaz get off the starting blocks very quickly, taking just 40 seconds to equalise and stabilise matters, when Brodie Fanoe was at the end of a pass that he merely flicked into the net to take the score to 2-2. The equaliser seemed to unstabilise Kovsies a little, with the Madibaz going forward more in search of a way to take back the lead.
It never quite worked the way they had planned, with Kovsies eventually adding another in the dying minutes of the game to try make sure they were definitely not losing this one. The goal came courtesy of eventual Samsung Super Striker award winner Tiaan Weldenhagen. One of the Kovsies coaches could then be heard close by barking out orders that the team was happy with the score line and the men in red should defend.
That in the end, is what Kovsies did, with the Madibaz searching for the equaliser but it never happens as Kovsies held onto win the game 4-2.
Scores
Kovsies: 4
Goals: Willie Kruger, Tiaan Weldhagen
Madibaz: 2
Goal: Brodie Fanoe
FNB Player of the Match: Cheslyn Neethling (Kovsies)
Mugg & Bean Star Player: Nathan Waters (Madibaz)
Samsung Super Striker: Tiaan Weldhagen (Kovsies)
Teams
Kovsies: 1. Lou Frans Esterhuizen, 2. Andre Nel, 3. Egon Van der Merwe, 5. Raymond De Villiers, 6. Ryan Scheepers, 7. Matthew Ramos, 8. Willie Kruger, 9. Mpho Tsaoane, 10. Gerhard Van Bosch, 11. Justin Smouse, 13. Tiaan Weldhagen
Subs: 14. Stephan Van Vollenhoven, 15. Mvelase Mbombisa, 18. Cheslyn Neethling, 19. Shelton Mollentze, 21. Jan Willem Ras, 22. Tylor Oliver, 24. Luyolo Nkosana
Madibaz: 1. Nathan Waters, 18. Joshua Engole, 4. Kurt Wicht, 5. Jason Mc Gillivray, 6. Callan Dewar, 7. Arno Van Jaarsveld, 8. Alexander Penhall, 9. Jacque Potgieter, 2. Keoghan Penhall, 11. Laython Coombes
Subs: 12. Brodie Fanoe, 14. Christopher Wynford, 15. Michael Hansel, 22. Andre Potgieter, 23. Athi Mbovane, 21. Jared De Kock, 24. Duncan Hare, 16. Richard Asmah-Andoh
By Sifiso Nyawo
