Hartleyvale Stadium, Cape Town | 31 July 2025
It was do-or-die Thursday at Hartleyvale as the race for titles, promotion, and A Section survival reached boiling point. With semi-final berths on the line and status-defining matches underway, the penultimate day of the SA Hockey IPT brought relentless action, shootout drama, and heartbreak.
Men’s A Section
5–8 Playoffs (A Section Status on the Line)
KZN Raiders 10–0 Free State
The Raiders roared to safety in devastating fashion. Tyler Tomsett notched a hat-trick, Dylan Ferreira added two, and five others joined the party, Ayakha Mthalane, Darryl Lotter, Keegan Hezlett, and a double from Nic White in a record-breaking romp that consigned Free State to relegation danger.
Northern Blues 2–1 Eastern Province
It wasn’t pretty, but it was enough. The Northern Blues clung on to their A Section place with a gritty win over a spirited EP side. Taine Tanner-Ellis scored early, but EP’s Jose Smith hit back before CJ Mashele struck the match-winner in the 12th minute. The rest of the game was a tense stalemate as the Blues survived a major scare.
Semi-Finals
Western Province 4–0 SA Under 21
The defending champions saw their dream end as hosts WP turned on the style. Viwe Mbata opened the scoring in the first half, before a third-quarter blitz, two from Mustapha Cassiem and one from Jacques van Tonder, secured a dominant win and booked WP a place in Friday’s final.
WP Peninsula 0–0 Southern Gauteng (Pens win shootout)
A tense and tactical semi-final saw neither side give an inch. Despite multiple half-chances, the deadlock couldn’t be broken in regulation. In the shootout, WP Pens held their nerve, and Kenton Melville struck the decisive blow to send the “B” team into the A Section final, a massive upset and a fairytale story.
Women’s A Section
5–8 Playoffs
North West 6–0 KZN Raiders
North West responded to their semi-final heartbreak in ruthless fashion. Tamlyn Kock and Arisha van Niekerk each grabbed a brace, while Germarie Spershott and Michelle Claassen added gloss to a dominant win that keeps them in the A Section for 2026.
Free State 2–4 WP Peninsula
This end-to-end clash saw WP Pens survive and advance. Free State took the lead through Johanca Burger, but the Cape side stormed back with goals from Michaela Grainey, Nihaad Sulaiman, and Lilian Pope. Iziah April pulled one back, but Isabella Booyens sealed the result, confirming Pens’ A Section survival.
Semi-Finals
SA U21 1–1 Southern Gauteng (Southerns win shootout)
In a classic youth-versus-experience battle, Hannah Pearce’s early strike had Southerns ahead. The U21s pressed relentlessly and finally found a way through via Paris-Gail Isaacs with five minutes remaining. But in the shootout, goalkeeper Morgan de Jager rose to the occasion, saving three to send the Johannesburgers to the final.
Northern Blues 2–3 Western Province
Cerian Fourie gave Northerns a dream start, but WP responded with clinical corner conversions. Daniella de Oliveira and Brady Wiseman turned the game around before de Oliveira added a second. Northerns pulled one back through Lerato Mahole, but it wasn’t enough as the hosts edged through to the final.
The stage is set. On Friday, Western Province will contest both the men’s and women’s finals on home turf. The women face Southern Gauteng in a heavyweight showdown, while the men’s final sees WP face a fairytale challenge from their own B team, WP Peninsula. The drama’s not done yet.
Fixtures – 01 August 2025
Hartleyvale A – Broadcast on Supersport Channel 199
08:45 – Womens A Section 5th Playoff – North West vs. WP Peninsula
10:30 – Mens A Section 5th Playoff – Northern Blues vs. KZN Raiders
12:15 – Womens B Section Final – Eastern Province vs. WP Disa
14:00 – Womens Bronze Medal – SA Under 21 vs. Northern Blues
15:45 – Mens Bronze Medal – SA Under 21 vs. Southern Gauteng
17:30 – Womens Final – Southern Gauteng vs. Western Province
19:15 – Mens Final – Western Province vs. WP Peninsula
Hartleyvale B – Not Broadcast
09:00 – Womens A Section 7th Playoff – KZN Raiders vs. Free State
10:45 – Mens A Section 7th Playoff – Eastern Province vs. Free State
