21 February 2006

In the penultimate round of Soffe Cup tennis tomorrow, competition leader Hooker Pacific Pukekura are away to Accent on Curtains Waiwaka.  Pukekura' s No 1 Zac Wills will play either Aaron Hine or Chris Popata. Hine withdrew from the Taranaki team last week with injury so he may be unavailable. Hine is the Taranaki No 1 followed by Wills with Popata at No 4.
The other match -ups are Tony Radich v Popata or Jordan Stayt, Ben Aves v  Stayt or David Chamberlain and Quinn Rosa/NIck Steventon v Chamberlain or Rhys Sutton. Pukekura should be ahead after those matches.
In the women's match-ups, Pukekura's Linda Reid is favoured over fellow Taranaki player Nicki Martin while Waiwaka's Clare Fairey shoudl be too steady for Donna Thorne. Pukekura's No 3 Kirsten Adam will play Jaydyn Bruce and Jeanette Harding will play Glenda Frost. Pukkeura shoud win both of those matches and go on to take the tie.
 
Second placed Sandfords Manaia are at home to Kaponga. Although Manaia have been hit by injury and unavailability they have depth and should win. Kaponga will be buoyed by winning their last two matches, against Waiwaka and Midhirst. Manaia's men's line -up of Jason Mills, Thomas Luxton, Alaister Murdoch and Michael Gates should win all their matches against Len Adamson, Kyle Crowley, Jason Hurley and Blair Crowley.
The women's match -ups are the strong Manaia team of Nicole Koch, Alesha Ford, Davina Mills and Irene Cruikshank versus the Kaponga squad of Leith Atkins, Krystal Oakes, Maree Jones, Helena Goodin and Michelle Atkins.
 
Third placed Midhirst will no doubt win over sixth placed Stratford at Midhirst. Jono Ussher, Michael O' Sullivan, Stephen Uhlenberg and Neil Kingston will have the advantage over Stratford's team chosen from Gavin Phelan, Bruce Cleland, Grant Kite, Hasley Lobb and Craig Oliver.
Both teams have been struggling for women but Midhirst's women will be too good. The women's team will be chosen from Lyn Stanners, Shelley Childs, Emma Ussher, Robyn Nicholls and Liz O'Sullivan while Stratford's team is likely be Brenda Gibbons, Kylie Jury, Tracey Zimmerman and Min Zimmerman.