Pegasus makes progress

Press, 12 September 1988, Page 18

Pegasus makes progress

By

KEVIN TUTTY

Pegasus took two significant steps towards retaining the Adidas national inter-club hockey championship at Porritt Park at the week-end, and has just two more to take to become the national champion for the second successive season.

Pegasus advanced to the semi-finals of the competition yesterday with a 3-0 win against Redcliffs, and on Saturday it earned the right to play Redcliffs by beating Selwyn 4-3 in a close encounter. Redcliffs beat Nelson Old Boys 5-2 on Saturday.

The semi-finals and finals of the championship will be played on the week-end of October 8 and 9 in Wellington.

Pegasus had more variety in its attacks yesterday and that gave it the edge over

Redcliffs whose attacks were centred on Richard Schoeman at centre-forward. There was little between the teams in the first-half. Both sides moved the ball about crisply and the Redcliffs attack showed more cohesion than it did in the second-half, when too many passes were astray at vital stages of the attack. Pegasus eventually gained the advantage it was seeking 10 minutes from half-time when Craig Mcßobb scored with a strong push from a penalty-corner variation. Redcliffs, which during the season had frequently made good progress down its right flank, ignored that avenue of attack for most of the game. Jeremy Paynter, a skilled young wing, received little ball and in the end went looking for work infield, with

the consequence that Redcliffs had no right side attack when it was needed.

Pegasus was able to attack with equal effectiveness down both flanks. David Grundy’s strong running kept the Redcliffs left side defence occupied, and Craig Mcßobb on the left-wing found space for himself readily. John Radovonich, after playing a more defensive role at inside-right in the firsthalf, was more adventurous as the match progressed, and made some forceful dribbles in the last quarter. He scored the second goal 15 minutes into the secondhalf from a penalty-stroke after Mcßobb was brought down in the circle, and five minutes from full-time Grundy completed the scoring with a well taken goal, whipping the ball into the net

as it rebounded into the air off the goal-keeper’s pads. The hockey in the PegasusSelwyn game was not of a high standard but the excitement was maintained by the closeness of the scores. There was never more than a goal between the teams. Mcßobb scored the vital goal minutes from full-time. Greg Clark (two) and Radovonich were the other scorers for Pegasus, and Mark Lane (two) and George Carnoutsos scored for Selwyn.

Redcliffs led 3-1 at halftime against Nelson and was never in danger of losing the advantage. Schoeman scored three goals for Redcliffs and Rod Hefford (two), and Phil Bennett and Nick Rolton scored for Nelson. In a match between the two losing teams yesterday, Selwyn beat Nelson 7-1.