24 October 2007

The Soffe Cup interclub tennis competition resumes tomorrow after a week's break for Labour Weekend.
Cup holders AWE Huatoki have their first game, after having a bye in the first round. They are against McDonald Real Estate Matapu at Matapu.  Although Matapu had a good win against a youthful Sandfords Manaia in the first round, Huatoki are odds on for a comfortable win.
The top two men's singles matchups are likely to go Huatoki's way with Taranaki No 1 Jono Ussher against Tom Luxton and Roy Gaskin against David White.
In the women's singles, the likely match ups are Saori Han against Jen White and Janice Taylor against Helen Kelly.
 
Pukekura are at home to Oakura and will start favourites. Oakura will be without their No 1 Aaron Hine so Josh Walden will be in the top spot. He will play Michael Fleming (if available) or Meto Snegirev. Walden should beat Snegirev but anyone in Taranaki would struggle against Fleming.  In the No 2 spot for Pukekura it will be either Snegirev or Paul Simpson who will play John Hardie-Boys. The Oakura player will be favoured in that clash.
The Oakura women won all their singles in the first round against Central Finance Rotokare so they should again do well this week.  Leah Fletcher will play Linda Reid and Becky Bruckner will play Donna Thorne.
 
Central Finance Rotokare are at home to the combined team of Waiwaka/Stratford/Midhirst and should register their first win.  It is hard to pick winners in the top games ; Rotokare's No 1 Ben Pollard versus David Innes and in the women's singles, Rotokare's No 1 Leith Atkins will play Krystal Oakes who took Taranaki rep Linda Reid to three sets last week. No 2  Kate Laurenson will play Alison Chamberlain.  Rotokare's No 2 Chris Popata will have little trouble against Wai/Sfd/Mid's David Chamberlain.
 
The two other divisions of A grade get underway tomorrow.
In Division 2, the Wilson Trophy, seven teams will compete for a chance of promotion to the Soffe Cup next season.
Okaiawa have two teams, Huatoki two, with the rest of the teams being Matapu, Oakura and Hawera.
From last season, Manaia have opted to drop their team down to the Association Cup, as have Inglewood, while Huatoki and Matapu elected to go up.
 
In the Association Cup, eight teams will play with the chance of promotion to the Wilson Trophy next season. 
New teams are Rotokare, Stratford and Kaponga. The other teams are Inglewood and Manaia ( two teams), Waitara and Waiwaka.