Veterans day out

The 26th President of the USA Theodore Roosevelt said that it is only through labour and painful effort, by grim energy and resolute courage, that we move on to better things.

The veteran players that form the core of Kampala Hockey Club (KHC) Originals and Weatherhead Historicals (both men and women) could do with that inspiration ahead of their Labour Day National League (NHL) fixtures on Sunday in Lugogo.

Originals picked a vital point against Makerere University (Mak Stingers) in the third week of the men's league and could do with that motivation ahead of their lunchtime encounter with Rockets.

Rockets need points too. After their season opening 2-0 win over Historicals, Rockets suffered confidence-shattering back to back losses to KHC Stallions (3-1) and Wananchi (9-0). 

When Rockets met Originals during the Easter Cup, the sides played out a 0-0 draw. Both sides could do with maximum points but their defences must be up to the task again.

Meanwhile, the male Historicals are - alongside City Lions - Lugogo's most rested sides after not taking part in the Easter tournament.

City Lions are a shadow of the side they were last season having already lost twice to Stingers (3-1) and Wananchi (10-1). Historicals should come licking their lips ready to cause an upset.

The women Historicals, meanwhile, have a real chance to put their experience in play when they meet newly formed Wananchi HDF (Hockey Dreams Foundation). 

The latter have put up commendable displays in what ended up to be unfortunate 2-0 and 5-3 defeats to Wananchi and Deliverance Church of Uganda (DCU) respectively and will now need to shut shop and find goals to put points on board.

Goal feast
In the other men's game of the day, KHC Stallions will hope to hit off or end their Eid Celebrations (depending on when the moon is sighted) in style when they play Makerere University Business School (Mubs) later in the evening.

"Mubs," Stingers joked on their Twitter handle, "are the league's worst defence unprovoked" then went on to prove it by beating the former 11-0.

However, the standard bearers of the league are Wananchi who took the Nakawa-based institution to the cleansers in a 26-0 whitewash two weeks into the league.

Stallions could be outright favourites today but if they harbour any title ambitions then Stingers and Wananchi's wins offer the scale of what a good result should be.

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE

SUNDAY AT LUGOGO

M: Rockets vs. KHC Originals, 1pm
M: WHD Historicals vs. City Lions, 2.30pm
W: WHD Historicals vs. Wananchi HDF, 4pm
M: Mubs vs. KHC Stallions, 5.20pm