The biggest game saw the Taieri Tuataras clashing with the Kings United Cobras with a late goal helping the Cobras hold the premier men’s defending champions at 2-2.
The game got off to a rip-roaring start as Max Nation scored for Kings in the opening three minutes, only for the impressive Hugo Bogue to quickly square the ledger.
Both sides had chances and it seemed destined to be a high-scoring game — but that was not the case.
It became an arm-wrestle with both sides threadbare due to the University holidays.
Taieri held a lot of possession, but did not do a lot with it. Kings countered well, but were kept at bay by Issac Hallam.
It took until the end of the third quarter for Taieri to finally break the deadlock, with Patrick Ward putting it on a plate for Ben O’Connor to deflect home from a penalty corner.
Kings nearly fashioned an instant reply, but got it wrong at penalty corner time.
The Tuataras controlled the final quarter, but a third goal was not forthcoming.
Kings hit them on the break, and after a bit of scrap, Will Nichol managed to tomahawk it over Hallam to square the game.
It appeared that would be that, but Taieri should have won it.
Oliver Battrick was sent through one-on-one, and managed to take it around Lachie Colquhoun, but he could not convert. Taieri got the last laugh with a shootout win.
It was much the same between the University Whales and Albany Alligators, who played out an entertaining 3-3 draw. After an even first quarter, it was the Whales who went bang-bang in the second, putting Albany on the ropes.
In the second half, the Whales were cruising, only for youngster Charlie Falconer to fire back with a double of his own, rescuing his side.
They eventually took the lead, only to be pegged back right at the end by Jakob Bell-Kake.
Albany grabbed the extra point in the shootout.
In the premier women’s competition, the University Stingrays and Huskies put in stellar efforts, with one squad playing back-to-back games, earning credible draws.
First up the Stingrays took on a young Taieri side, who battled hard, but had to settle for a shootout win after conceding with 15 seconds to play.
Up second, the Huskies battled for the shield against Momona, and for a long time it looked like they might steal it, but Momona did enough to always stay on top of the game, holding out for a draw, and ultimately a shootout win.
In the late game, the Kings United Royal came from behind with two fourth quarter goals to defeat the City Highlanders 3-2.
The University Panthers v Southland Barbarians game was deferred until tonight.
Nicholas Friedlander
