True colours shown at Premier Hockey League

The inaugural Premier Hockey League (PHL) got off to a good start on the weekend of 3 and 4 September at the Randburg Astro in Malanshof.

Day two of the league was a day of movement on the log, with a couple of firsts and a little redemption for some players, with every team having played at least one game at the end of the first weekend of the tournament.

One result saw the Blyde River Bunters beat the Wineland Wings 3–1 in a penalty shootout. Bunters goalkeeper, Phumelela Mbande was a heroine after saving three penalty strokes from the Wings’ Kaila Flemming, Heather McEwan and Minjon van Tonder.

Mbande’s heroics meant the Bunters now sit at the top of the women’s league table with six points from two games, with the Wings lying in second on four points, and the Madikwe Rangers third.

The Rangers are another team to look out for after they counter-punched their way to a 2–1 win in an entertaining clash against the St Lucia Lakers.

Another first to take place on the day in the men’s division was the Garden Route Gazelles’ 8–2 win over the Addo Elephants, which was the biggest winning total recorded yet. Having been embarrassed 1–0 by the Golden Gate Gladiators (SA Hockey’s men’s U21 team) on the Saturday, the Gazelles also had redemption in mind.

The final match of the day, between the Namaqualand Daisies (SA women’s U21s) and the Orange River Rafters, proved a great contest in which Megan Robertson scored to secure the Rafters their first win.

This competition may be fierce on the field but the spirit of the game has shone through from the opening day as 10 teams have all decided to donate 50 per cent of their player of the match prize money to the SA U21 men’s and women’s teams’ FIH Junior World Cup tour fund.

The Department of Sport and Recreation is adding R5 000 to the fund for every Player of the Match award over the four weekends of the tournament.

Details: Premier Hockey League 011 303 7000.

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