The X-Team from Walvis Bay turned the table on their Windhoek-based counterparts by beating both Wanderers and DTS in their Telecom Men’s Premier League Indoor Hockey matches on Saturday. They defeated Wanderers 4-2 after leading 2-1 at halftime and then beat DTS 3-2 in an exciting encounter.
Following a tight first half with the teams tied at 0-0, the X-Team took the lead only for DTS to respond with a goal of their own. It however took the two veteran players, Ali Visagie and Rohan Slabbert to take the score to 3-1 for the X-Team before Frank Slabbert responded with a late consolation goal for DTS. The outstanding player in both matches for the X-Team was Tyrone Kotze.
DTS coach Randy Slabbert said after the game that the fixtures were always going to be challenging following last week’s double header as half their players were unable to play due to school related hockey tours.
“Having said that, to hold Unam to a 1-all draw and to go down 3-2 to a very well organized X-Team, with three 14 year olds in the side is no mean feat at all. If anything, it confirms the quality of the young players coming through the ranks of the DTS development program,” he said.
The chairperson of the X-Team, Rohan Slabbert, complimented the Namibian Hockey Union in the manner they run the league. He was particularly impressed with the level of play of the young players. He was also elated at the manner in which the X-Team adapted to the quicker pace of the game.
In the Women’s Premier League, the X Team suffered their first defeats of the season, going down 2-0 to Wanderers and 2-1 to DTS. They were particularly unlucky against DTS, as the match seemed to be heading for a draw when DTS scored the winning goal off the last move of the match. Sumare Usher was the X Team’s outstanding player, while Madelyn Lessing stood out for Wanderers and Charlene van der Linde excelled for DTS.
In the Men’s First League, Unam caused an upset be defeating the joint leaders Rehoboth comprehensively by 9-3 to come back into contention for league honours. In another encounter DTS defeated the Draughters 6-0 while Wanderers also defeated the Draughters 3-2.
The X-Team remain on course to win the Men’s Second League after thrashing Wanderers 8-0 and narrowly beating DTS 2-1. On Friday night DTS all but ended the title hopes of Polytech by defeating them 2-0.
In the Women’s Second League, Polytech have an unassailable lead, after drawing 2-2 against DTS and then defeating Rehoboth 6-0. The key player in the Polytech team is their leading scorer Fenesta Pienaar.