Beaulieu brilliant, but Riverside and Old Eds steal the show
The hosts were the 2017 champions.
THE seventh Belgotex Elite Club Challenge came to a superb finish as the Crusaders women and the Riverside men were victorious in front of a fantastic crowd at Riverside Hockey Club, on Saturday night. Crusaders ladies team from Johannesburg were strongly favoured against their Johannesburg neighbours Wanderers, but wary of the rivalry factor as they sought their first Belgotex Elite Club Challenge.
Their expected domination fostered itself onto the pitch as Lilian du Plessis, Shevron Harrison and a brace from Sylvia van Jaarsveldt allowed that expected victory to manifest itself on the score sheet. 4-0 at full time meant that Crusaders had picked up their first Belgotex Elite Club Challenge title to the delight of national skipper Erin Hunter and her team. It was the first time that a Belgotex Elite Club Challenge side had gone the whole tournament without conceding a goal.
In the Men’s final group game between Wanderers and Riverside, the hosts opened the scoring in the first half through Greg Last with a well taken penalty stroke and looked good value for the lead at the half time break. As the defending champions looked to get back in the game, the Riverside men took the opportunity as a blistering counter attack was deflected home by the retreating Wanderers defense.
Wanderers kept themselves in pole position with a solid 2-0 win. Miguel da Graca and Ricky West showing experience in securing a table topping win for the Johannesburg men and putting their first hand up to retain the trophy they won in 2018. Old Eds secured the third spot in this year’s tournament when they beat Western Province Cricket Club 3-1 in a highly entertaining early evening game.
In the Women’s third place match Western Province Cricket Club ladies stormed back from a 2-1 deficit to Riverside to seal the bronze position with a 3-2 win.
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