COURTESY NEWCASTLE HERALD

 v  The first game of the weekend hits off at 11:50am down at Wyong, with last placed Gosford hosting 3rd placed South Newcastle.

Gosford have certainly been an improved side the past 2 weeks, and no doubt the reintroduction of Dave Fibbons into the side has helped immensely. A hard fought victory over cross town rivals The Entrance and then a much improved performance against top placed Norths has produced a little bit of momentum and the desire in the players to perform better. The team has scored 11 goals in thier last 4 games, over a 3rd of thier total for the season. The side will pose a real threat to the visitors this weekend. No team news as yet.

Souths will be wary of the much improved Gosford side and will be keen to get a win having lost thier last 2 matches. The team should welcome back several players who are involved in the Australian Country Championships, but they will be a little fatigued and this could prove the difference. Souths havent been playing the kind of hockey they want to play, and as the finals roll around there will be pressure on all players to maintain thier spots in the side come finals time. It is however a given that the teams experience will mean they improve the last few rounds of the comp, and it might just start with a big win over Gosford this weekend. Simon Vimpani sent through some news, indicating that all the players involved in the Country Championships will be available and playing against Gosford this weekend. The team has conceeded a top 2 spot is unlikely after last weekends loss, but they want to finish the regular season strongly by wrapping up 3rd spot to challenge come September.

Predicting a good game of hockey with both teams desperation ensuring the intensity will be high and the desire to get the result matching that level of intensity. A close one with maybe 1 goal the difference.

v At 1:30pm University host The Entrance in what is the Match of the round. As pointed out by many in the forum, Uni now just sit 5 points behind The Entrance and the game is a potential season defining moment for both teams. So far the teams have split the games, with a 3-1 win each on home soil.

University realise a win can see them sitting just 3 points out of an unlikely finals appearance and a chance to achieve something long gone from the club since the glory days of the early 90's. However if comments and rumour is to be believed, the side is likely to be without 7 key first graders in Tim Stibbard, Christian Minett, Nick Khan, Tom Budden, Simon Massey, Harry Bartram and Taylor Jordan. Big shoes to fill and it will be a big ask for the 2nd Graders who will fill in to produce the goods. However, when your backs to the wall you can often produce something special, and the students will need to this weekend.

The Entrance are in a bit of a form slump but will see this game as one they can win and restart thier season. 3 losses on the trot sees the team a little desperate but they have the ability to overcome it and get the result. Its a well known fact the team has a discipline issue and if they can control that the team should walk away with the points. No team news as yet.

Predicting a win to The Entrance due to the Students lineup, but wouldnt be surprised if Uni get something out of the game. Definately worth watching if your at the NIHC.

v  From 2pm at Maitland, the Rams will host Tigers. Maitland are keen to keep the pressure on Norths at the top of the ladder whilst Tigers will be keen to finish the season strongly and develop for next year. In thier two games this season, Maitland has recorded 3-1 wins both times.

The Rams have fast become the crowd favourites to crack the Norths/Souths dominance in this competition. Last season Gosford had the fairtytail run but couldnt get the dream result on GF day. This season its Maitland pushing for glory and they certainly have the momentum, results against thier rivals and the players to be a genuine title contender this season. Coach Nathan Baker contributed this bit of wisdom ahead of the clash: "This weeks game against Tigers is an important one for the Rams as we look to consolidate last weeks spirited performance against The Entrance. The boys showed a lot of determination as we fought back from two goals down in the first ten minutes to register a relatively comfortable 4-2 win. A win this week will see us stay in the hunt for the clubs first ever HCPHL minor premiership whereas a loss would almost make it impossible to catch North's. We know that Tigers will be buoyed by there win over South's last week and that they would be confident of getting a result in this one. We just need to focus on the simple things as we have been all year and the result should come our way. The Rams will be missing veteran all rounder Brett Gallagher and mid-fielder Cayde Tasker who are both out with personal commitments. Marty Spencer and Tobin Bush will make there way back into the starting line-up to fill the void."

Tigers are in a bit of a run at the moment, having recorded 3 wins on the trot including a handy 3-0 victory over the South Newcastle Lions last weekend. Thier confidence will be high and justifiably so having played some good hockey the past 3 weeks, hockey that would see them challenging for top honours if they had been doing it all season. The team will produce a good match against the Rams and dont mind playing out on the hybrid surface. No team news as yet.

Predicting a tight encounter but the Rams to get the points, even a 3rd consecutive 3-1 scoreline wouldnt be a surprise.

v Norths and Wests will go head to head from 3pm at the NIHC. This match has produced a fair bit of media attention this week, and willl be of huge interest to both clubs as they compete for the innaugural Stanbury-Moane Cup. Its a day that draws on inspiration from the past, and goes back to a time when entire clubs would be on the sideline cheering thier players on.

Norths will start favourites due entirely to the fact they are the better team. Results and ladder position support that argument. The team though will be wary of a Wests outfit who almost pulled off a surprise over the Blues in the last meeting, with a small miracle coming Norths way to see them salvage a 3-3 draw in the dying moments. Skipper Silas Moss had this to report: "Put form and ladder position to the side for this one as playing for the Stanbury-Moane Cup will provide a bit of motivation for both sides. Over the past decade we've had some tight tussles with Wests and I expect it will be no different on Sunday. It's an historic day as we set to celebrate many years of rivalry. One of our Old Boys recalled during the week that in the 70's and 80's, matches were savage and often boiled over on and off the field. These days its a healthy rivalry. The last time we played Wests, we salvaged a draw late. I think they will have felt they should've got the biscuits that day and will be fired up to make ammends.
We have two key players unavailable for the encounter with Jordan Willot setting off to the Youth Olympics and Joel Reeves having suffered a season ending shulder injury."

Wests season has been an odd one, and several times in these previews its been noted they can play some superb hockey but seem to do so only in patches. The difference between Wests and the top teams is the ability to play well for the full 70 minutes. If Wests can put together a performance for 70 minutes, they would be winning plenty more matches and challenging at the top of the leaderboard. The team should expect Mark Ross back in goal as his Australian Country Championships commitments should be completed. No further team news as yet.

Predicting a win to Norths, but Wests should put up a fight and could sneak a result if they can get it together for the full 70 minutes.

Get down and support your club this weekend!