Lions confident as Cup clash kicks off

CANTERBURY men believe they are well positioned to give their women’s side an advantage in the Wells-Guest Cup after years without lifting the prized hockey trophy.

Played annually in recognition of the achievements of Olympians Matthew Wells (Derwent) and David Guest (Canterbury), Lions coach Will Lawler hopes to win the first leg of the aggregate title.

“The Wells-Guest Cup is always a hotly contested game, with the club acknowledging the achievements of both Olympic medallists and their contributions to both clubs and the hockey community,” Lawler said. “The commitment and drive that Wellsy and Guesty showed during their careers is the reason they were great players for a sustained period, and that’s something all players should look up to.”

Lawler has selected Sam McCulloch, Ian McHugh, Fergus Reid and Gareth Auker to be at full strength in a year that will see them finish bottom but having improved both technically and structurally with their style of play.

Derwent skipper Nick Tremayne will again miss with a foot injury, but Elliott Flassman and Jacob Rugless return for the Strikers.

“Our season has taken shape nicely and we have seen a real shift away from the reliance on older players, which is great for the club’s future,” Tremayne said.

“Denver James has been very consistent and is a crucial member of the squad who goes about things quietly, so I would love to see him claim the MVP award from Tony Williams on Saturday.

“But the guys are looking forward to playing for more than the three points and I genuinely think the Cup is a 50-50 this year so we’ll have to continue to make strides with our consistency.”

Top two finishers North- West Graduates and OHA will face off just a week before their qualifying final, so there’s sure to be an element of foxing for their 3pm clash. The Ships return with Will Smith and Tom Whitton, while Graduates have selected Luke Doerner and it will be interesting to see what tactics either side employ with the real carrot dangling over next weekend.

University will use Jamie Pinner in goals as it seeks to grab some momentum heading into finals against DiamondBacks at 4.30pm.