The University of Pretoria are unbeaten after their opening two games of Varsity Hockey, having beaten the University of Cape Town 2-0 on Saturday at the University of Johannesburg, but Tuks will be slightly disappointed with the way they laboured to victory in a game they dominated.

Tuks just couldn’t get their ball-speed up and did not use the whole width of the field as effectively as they had in beating Kovsies 5-2 on the opening day, and their penalty-corner also struggled to convert, scrambling in just one goal from nine attempts.

UCT are a young side lacking the handful of star players some of the sides have and, although they ran gallantly, they barely troubled Hendrik Kriek in the Tuks goal.

Tuks coach Guy Elliot will be investigating the breakdown in their penalty-corner routine, with the side failing to even get a shot in from their first four attempts. Grant Glutz eventually got a flick away in the 11th minute but it was well wide of the goals.

The Capetonians took the powerplay in the 15th minute but nearly conceded at the other end as Nduduzo Lembethe, the player of the match, broke clear for Tuks but couldn’t get past the UCT goalkeeper, Matthew Becker. The first UCT short-corner came in the 24th minute after a good run by Walter Pfaff, the SA U21 player and the most potent threat going forward for his team, but the shot was well-saved by Michael Marki, the rock of the Tuks defence.

Tuks took the powerplay in the 26th minute, but the opening goal came just after that window of double value when Becker came charging out of the goal and into the back of Nicholas Berichon, the Tuks captain. Although the offence happened far away from goal, in the back left of the circle, it was a deliberate infringement and the umpire awarded the penalty stroke. Glutz was the man to put Tuks 1-0 up just before halftime.

A dour third quarter was marked only by Tuks’ second goal, scrambled in after a short-corner by Kewan Harries. UCT threatened just once in the final chukka, through a short-corner after a good, quick breakout, but it was once again Tuks who created the better opportunities.

UCT has now lost both their games and faces an uphill task in trying to make the semi-finals when Varsity Hockey moves to Stellenbosch next weekend.

FNB Player of the Match: Nduduzo Lembethe (Tuks)

Mugg & Bean Star Saver: Ian Druce (UCT)

Samsung Super Striker: Grant Glutz (Tuks)