SA Women’s hockey v Kenya
The South African women’s hockey side put in their best performance of the African Hockey Championships so far as they dismantled Kenya 12-0 at the Randburg Hockey Stadium on Thursday afternoon.
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – OCTOBER 29: goal scorer, Lilian du Plessis of South Africa celebrates with her team mates during the Greenfields African Hockey Championships match between South Africa and Kenya at Randburg Stadium October 29, 2015 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Lee Warren/Gallo Images)
Perhaps the fact that Kenya were considered one of the better challenges than some of the teams faced as the contributing factor to the hosts playing their best game of the tournament so far.
The teams seemed to be evenly matched in the opening minutes with Kenya not giving too much away but the game was practically over at halftime with the home side 7-0 to the good
The first goal came courtesy of a Lillian du Plessis drag-flick while Bernadette Coston added the first of her three goals with a deflection before Du Plessis added her second, this one coming in open play.
Dirkie Chamberlain added a field goal of her own before Candice Manuel scored a quick fire hattrick before the halftime hooter.
The tempo seemed to wane slightly in the second half with possession changing hands a number of times but barring one or two progressive attacks by the Kenyans the home side were untroubled throughout.
Coston added her second and then third, with Chamberlain netting with a deflection before Celia Evans scored from a short-corner to make it 11-0, tidying up after a scrappy short-corner with her straight poke thundering into the backboard.
South Africa had one final opportunity to score just as the hooter sounded as they were awarded a penalty corner which Du Plessis duly slotted to round off her hattrick.
They will look to keep the goal-scoring trend going when they take on Tanzania on Friday evening.
