SOFFE CUP REVIEW

The only surprise in Saturday’s Soffe Cup results was the margin of the victory by Pukekura over Waiwaka, it was 11-5. 

Pukekura led 5-3 after the singles with their women winning all but one match. No 1 Linda Reid easily beat Clare Fairey 6-2, 6-4 while Janette Harding and Kirsten Adam also had easy wins, over Glenda Frost and Ana McSeveny.  Waiwaka’s No 2, Nicki Mills had little trouble against Donna Thorne, prevailing 6-4, 6-2.

Pukekura’s No 2 and 4, Tony Radich and Andrew Waite had easy wins over Pieter van der Kooij and David Chamberlain while Waiwaka’s No1 and 3 evened up the score with three set wins.  Aaron Hine and Chris Popata defeated Zac Wills and Ryan Waite.

The key to Pukekura’s victory was they won all four doubles matches.

They then took two out of four combines.

 

Stratford scored a 9-7 win over Rotokare at home to reverse the scores from the first round.  Although Rotokare were missing their top players, Max Ladame and Leith Atkins, they led 5-3 after the singles with all but the No 2 winning the men’s.

Jonothan Ussher scored an impressive 7-5, 6-3 win over Gavin Phelan while Chris Pulford and Greg Hareb, in his first Soffe Cup match of the season, won their matches over Bruce Cleland and Grant Kite.

Stratford’s No 2 Elliot Campbell had an easy win over David Geange 6-1, 6-1.

The women’s singles were shared with Stratford’s No 2 and 4, Kylie Jury and Penny Stark defeating Michelle Atkins and Debbie Campbell while Rotokare’s No 1 and 3, Cheryl Lawrence and Beth Webster prevailed over Brenda Gibbons and Tracey Zimmerman.

The doubles were shared and Rotokare must have thought they had victory in the bag when they were up 7-5 going into the combines.   Stratford had other ideas and won all the matches relatively easily to win the tie.

Stratford players to win all three matches were Campbell, Jury and Stark

 

Midhirst made a good start in their match against Manaia at Manaia.  They only dropped one men’s singles with No 1 Chris Brown losing in the third set tie-breaker to Jason Mills.  Michael O’Sullivan, Ross Slinger and Ross Topping all won their matches easily

over Alaister Murdoch, Michael Gates and Steven Lloyd respectively.

Manaia’s women all had easy wins.  No1 Nicole Koch defeated Shelly Childs 6-1,6-3 and former No 1 Davina Mills made her first appearance of the season at No 2 and dispatched Sandy Reeve 6-1, 6-1.

Midhirst were without their No1 Kathryn O’Sullian while Manaia were missing their No 3 man Cameron Koch.

All the rest of the matches were easy wins apart from the top men’s doubles which went to three sets.

 

Wilson Trophy

Hawera 13 Waitara 3, Okaiawa 9 Kaponga 7, Matapu 10 Manaia 6

 

Association Cup

Kaimata 12 Manaia 4, Oakura 13 Rotokare 3, Inglewood defeated Huatoki by default

 

Sumpter Trophy

Pukekura 9 Waiwaka 7, Matapu 13 Hawera 3, Stratford bye.

 

Points

Soffe Cup

Manaia 671/2, Rotokare 48, Pukekura 47, Waiwaka 43, Stratford 391/2, Midhirst 26

Wilson Trophy

Hawera 15, Matapu 12, Okaiawa 11, Kaponga 7, Manaia 6, Waitara 3

Association Cup

Inglewood 15, Oakura 15, Kaimata 14, Manaia 4, Rotokare 3, Huatoki 0