Team NCD off to a flying start in hockey

NATIONAL capital District got off to a flying start as the 2017 BSP PNG Games sports programme kicked off  at the San Remo Sports Precinct in Kimbe yesterday.
The men belted East New Britain 7-1 and the women’s side beat hosts West New Britain 3-0.
The women’s game was more interesting as WNB, led by their only representative player Cathy Wadi, gave the experienced Team NCD a fair run.
Team NCD scored their first goal in the 8th minute through Nicachecheng Pambuai after a good passage of play by forwards Taita Roama, who pushed the ball to Hilan Brooksbank to set Pambuai up for the first goal.
Two minutes later Brooksbank scored the second goal for NCD.
In the second quarter Hannah Singut, who came in as substitute, scored to give her side a 3-0 lead at halftime which basically sealed the game.
Nothing must be taken away from the hosts as Wadi and Betty Param tried hard.
NCD coach Paula Naron said it was good to have their first win but the team had more work to do.
“It’s pretty hard to play on the grass turf but they did well. From my observation, the hockey competition will be hard for the city girls but they had to live with it throughout the match.”
She commended the West New Britain team made up of young talent.
“This is our second time to take part in hockey. The first competition was in 2014 PNG Games in Lae where the girls played five-a-side but now it is 11-aside which
the team is trying to get used to,” Wadi said.