27 Nov 2014

Soffe Cup Round 5 Preview - 29 Nov 2014

With competition leaders Farmlands Okaiawa/Manaia having the bye, RE/MAX Pukekura Park looks like rising to the top of the Soffe Cup table after play this Saturday.

Pukekura Park will put up an above-average line-up this week as they host 5^th-placed Hareb Deken Oakura.  The No.1 men's match will be between Pukekura's Matt Bayly and veteran Len Adamson, where Bayly would just be favoured.  The rest of the Pukekura Park men's line-up of David Barnard, Shaun Alborough and Thomsom Matuku, should have an easy series of victories against the remainder of the Oakura muster.  It will also be one sided in the women's side of the fixture with Oakura suffering with players possibly absent due to representative duty. 

Also with their eye on the top spot is 3^rd-placed AWE Huatoki when they take the short trip to Central Finance Rotokare.  Huatoki have strengthened up their side after losing to Okaiawa/Manaia last week.  In comes Murray Keast at 2, Quinn Rosa at 4 and Sophie Robertson at 1 for the women.  For Rotokare, Kyle Crowley returns at No.1 and he should obtain a win over Alistair Nairn.  Making his seasonal debut at No.2, veteran Buzz Campbell will have to try and quell the slice of fellow old-hand Murray Keast.  For Cole Hareb and Laurie Jordan from the bottom half of the draw it would be an upset if either gained a win over Chris Avery and Quinn Rosa respectively.  The Rotokare women's roster has an experienced and capable look about it with Jane Symons, Julie Foley and Helena Goodin being joined by Emma Salmon, however, the Huatoki squad looks to be more accomplished.  Topped by Robertson, back from the USA, and ably assisted by Tracey Old, Chris Wilson and Georgia Bartosh, Huatoki have a good spread of talent and should dominate. 

Bottom-placed Thomson O'Neil Stratford will host 4^th-placed Inglewood Club Inglewood and on paper the higher ranked team looks to have the edge.  Stratford's Andy Roberts at No.1 will play Malcolm Masters.  Both men have a victory this season but have also lost close matches.  Grant Kite may have found his mojo after a win last week and should win the No.2 match against Luke Brown but then the lower order for Inglewood, in the form of Campbell Mace and Derek Spurdle will be superior against Michael Boland and Ryk Ferguson.  Inglewood's women have also strengthened up this week and look to have the goods at No.2 with Maria Spurdle over Katie Stanners and No.3 Shona Salisbury over Kristen Lourie.  The No.1 matchup between Stratford's Lynn Stanners and Inglewood's Krystal Oakes could go either way, as could the No.4 match between Maree Kydd and Chrissy Mace.  Victories in the doubles and combines will definitely be needed to secure the tie.