3 February 2008

Sandfords Manaia caused a boilover in Soffe Cup tennis on Saturday by defeating second placed Hareb Deken Oakura.
Oakura were missing their top man Josh Walden as well as his sister Mianna, their No 3.
Although Manaia were without Michael Gates, Alesha Ford and Maree Gopperth but Alaister Murdoch played his first match of Soffe Cup this season at No 4 and won all his matches. He defeated Soffe Cup debutant Jack Smithers 6-1, 6-4 and combined with Jacob Gopperth to defeat Horri Hubbard and Smithers 7/6, 6/2. In the combines he and partner Irene Cruikshank won by default.
In the other men's singles, Manaia's No 1 and 3, Jason Mills and Steve Lloyd had easy wins over Oakura's Aaron Hine and Horri Hubbard. Oakura's No 2 Steve Novak defeated Gopperth 6/2,7/6.
 
The women's singles were shared with Manaia's No 1 and 4 Nicole Koch and Irene Cruikshank beating Leah Fletcher and Chris Davies easily. Oakura's Sue Oldfield and Becky Bruckner both did not concede a game in their singles matches against Ginny Death and Shinae Bailey.
With the scores at 5-3 to Manaia after the singles, Manaia won three of the doubles, both men's and one women's, Bailey and Cruikshank won in the third set tiebreaker against Oldfield and Davies. Oakura's Fletcher and Bruckner won the top doubles, defeating Koch and Death 6/4,6/3.
Manaia won three out of four combines.
 
Competition leader Central Finance Rotokare increased its lead at the top of the table to a huge 18 points ( and seem assured of a home semi-final) with a 14-2 win over McDonald Real Estate Matapu. Although Rotokare were missing their top woman Kelly Toa, and another two women in their squad,  they only dropped one singles to take a 7-1 lead going into the doubles.
 No 1 Ben Pollard had a tough 7/5, 3/6, 7/6 win over fellow senior rep, David White, No 2 Chris Popata didn't drop a game against Kyle Crowley and No 3 Greg Hareb had a close 7/6, 6/4 win over Jason Hurley. Matapu's No 4 Rodney Perrett defeated Shane Devlin in three sets.
The women's singles were all easy wins for Rotokare apart from the No 3 match with Helena Goodin beating Michelle Furness in three sets. Leith Atkins beat Jen White 6/4, 6/1, Anita Walpole beat Helen Kelly 6/2, 6/3 and No 4 Maureen Whiting didn't drop a game in her win over Ann Bridges.
In the men's doubles, Rotokare won both matches easily, while Atkins and Walpole beat White and Kelly 7/6,6/0 and Matapu's Furness and Bridges beat Goodin and Whiting in three sets.
Rotokare won all the combines.
 
AWE Huatoki are now only 2 points off second place with a 13 - 3 win over Waiwaka /Stratford/Midhirst.
Huatoki led 6-2 after the singles, the men's matches were shared with Huatoki's No 2 and 3, Neil Bridgeman and Amrit Rai defeating Michael O'Sullivan (in three sets) and Grant Kite and the combined side's No 1 and 4, Gavin Phelan and Rhys Sutton defeating Jordan Stayt and Ben Robbins. Huatoki's women all won their singles, No 1 Saori Han only dropped one game against Krystal Oakes and No 2 won in three sets against junior rep Alison Chamberlain. 
Huatoki won all the doubles, with both the men's matches going to three sets.
Waiwaka/Stratford/Midhirst only other win was the top combines match with Phelan and Oakes beating Stayt and Megan Walsh.
 
Hooker Pacific Pukekura had the bye.
 
Wilson Trophy
Hawera 14 Matapu 2, Huatoki 1 10 Okaiawa (2) 6 , Oki 1 v Hua 2 -postponed until 8 March
Sumpter Trophy
Stratford 9 Waitara 7, Inglewood 10 Kaponga 6, Ecolab Manaia (1) Rotokare 4, Manaia (2) 12 Waiwaka 4
 
Points
Soffe Cup
Central Finance Rotokare 118, Hareb Deken Oakura 100, AWE Huatoki 99, Hooker Pacific Pukekura 92, Sandfords Manaia 77, McDonald Real Estate Matapu 61, Waiwaka/Stratford/Midhirst 47
 
Wilson Trophy
Hawera 120, Huatoki (1) 91, Okaiawa 88, Oakura 79, Okaiawa (2) 71, Matapu 39, Huatoki (2) 16
 
Sumpter Trophy
Stratford 130, Waitara 124, Manaia (1) 107, Manaia (2) 106, Inglewood 83, Rotokare 59, Kaponga 57, Waiwaka 49