13 April 2025
On a balmy Hyundai Friday Nite Lights evening at The Coliseum, Durban High School (DHS) showcased their attacking prowess to clinch a 4-1 victory over a spirited Clifton College outfit. But don’t let the scoreline fool you. It was no walk in the park.
Clifton arrived ready for battle, and for large stretches, matched DHS stride for stride. The first chukka was a tactical arm-wrestle, with both sides probing, but finding no way through well-drilled defences. It finished 0-0, a testament to the parity between two of KwaZulu-Natal’s top hockey sides.
The second chukka, though, belonged to the hosts. DHS’s energy ramped up a notch and their pressure paid dividends when a push in the back inside the circle earned them a penalty stroke. Sithsaba Siyoyo stepped up with ice in his veins to bury it by sending Clifton goalkeeper Georg Wolhuter the wrong way to give the Horseflies the lead.
That goal seemed to rattle Clifton briefly, and DHS skipper Josh Mungherera took full advantage, atoning for earlier missed chances with a crisp finish to double their advantage. At 2-0 up, DHS had a foothold, but the game was far from over.
To their credit, Clifton refused to fade. They reorganised quickly and had their moments, asking questions in the midfield and testing the DHS structure. But Keegan Hezlett‘s charges, stung in recent games by lapses after going ahead, were more resolute this time around. Their structure held firm, and their play down the flanks opened up space.
Midway through the third chukka, Siyoyo was back on the scoresheet, this time via a well-executed penalty corner. Hazlett praised the midfielder’s consistency, noting that Siyoyo had been “slotting shorties all week in training – it was great to see him do it in a match situation.”
Clifton continued to search for a breakthrough and were eventually rewarded when Zach Williamson converted a penalty corner – proof of the grit and resilience coach Calvin Pryce has in his squad.
With just minutes left, DHS sealed the win in style. A brilliant piece of hustle from Landa Tose sparked a length-of-the-field counterattack. He stripped possession at the back, surged up the right, and fed a pinpoint pass for Mungherera to tip in his second – an exclamation point on a sweeping move.
“It’s just a matter of us finishing. We are always going to be dynamic,” DHS coach Hezlett said in summing up the result.”
He also had words of praise for the foundation provided by his team’s defenders, especially Bhavesh Naicker and Josh van Biljon, in the centre of defence. “I think they are two exceptional players for us because of what they bring. Everyone else has got the flair, but they kept it very simple: tackle, pass, composed. You need that.”
Though they came up short on the night, Clifton earned respect for their intensity and commitment. DHS, meanwhile, showed the kind of ruthless edge that suggests they’ll be a force throughout the season.
RESULTS
1st: DHS 4-1 Clifton
2nd: DHS 0-0 Clifton
16A: DHS 6-1 Clifton
16B: DHS 0-2 Clifton
16C: DHS 4-1 Clifton
16D: DHS 12-0 Clifton
14A: DHS 1-0 Clifton
14B: DHS 0-3 Clifton
14C: DHS 2-0 Clifton
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