Maties look to seal hockey title with win over Langa
THE Western Province Grand Challenge Hockey season has almost reached its climax with both the men’s and women’s leagues having either one or two matches left in the season.
The women’s champions have already been crowned with WPCC clinching the title with two games to spare. WPCC sealed the title when UCT held Somerset West to a 1-1 draw in Somerset’s final fixture. Andi Bernstein’s charges have been the best team in the division and fully deserve the title.
In the men’s division Maties have the advantage with two matches to play. Maties will play Langa on Tuesday evening and can clinch the title with victory at Hartleyvale. A draw or defeat to Langa will leave the door open for WPCC who are in second place on the standings. A single point separates the teams, and WPCC will be hoping that Langa spoil Maties’ title aspirations and play out of their skins. A Langa victory is highly unlikely though and Maties should wrap up the title before facing WPCC on Thursday evening.
The Western Cape season has been badly interrupted by player call ups for the national Premier Hockey League which has been held over the last two weekends and will conclude on Sunday in Johannesburg.
The local league matches have had to be played at awkward times during the last this time and it has taken the gloss off the local competition. The end-of-season knockout tournament has also been cancelled. South African hockey will have to look at the itinerary in future as the local leagues don’t seem to be considered when the planning is done. In other matters, Bishops will be hosting their traditional rivals, Rondebosch at the Bishops astroturf this evening at 6.30pm. The hockey rivalry dates back to 1966 when the school’s first played a friendly and the fixture has been contested ever since. The match has traditionally attracted huge crowds with both schools making it compulsory for their pupils to attend. The old boys and spectators add to this fixture, and it attracts the biggest audience for a schoolboy match in South Africa.