SERVICES again had to rely on a strong second half to get the win against an improving Flames in their Tamworth women’s competition clash on Sunday.
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Servies got the points 5-3 but, as against Tudor Wests the week before, scored the bulk of their goals in the second half.
Flames have come on a lot since the two met in the opening game of the season and showed that by leading 2-nil at one stage.
“The first half was quite scrappy on our behalf,” Services captain-coach Kim McLean said.
They managed to pull the two-goal deficit back to one at half-time.
“The last 15 of the first half we started to play better,” McLean said.
The second-half revival started with the basics. They picked up their passing game and communication.
“We passed better in the second half,” she said.
They also lifted their intensity.
“Instead of letting them get set for free hits we tried to go with fast balls to get them on the backfoot,” McLean said.
That seemed to work, with Services scoring two quick goals to hit the front.
They shared the scoring around, with McLean, Michelle Aslin, Kath Thomas, Leonie Fitzpatrick and Tracy Donnelly all finding the back of the net.
Donnelly topped the points and, as per usual, worked hard all game.
McLean got the two and Aslin the one.
Phil Frear was in the dugout for Flames, and getting his first look at them.
He’s stepped in as coach for Barrie Pritchard while he’s away on holidays.
“They were happy. They reckoned they played better than the last time,” Frear said.
That was reflected on the scoreboard. Services won 7-nil last time they met.
“There was some good passages of play and a couple of things I was really happy with,” Frear said.
One of those was the way that they – sometimes – looked to go wide when they got the ball in the middle rather than trying to go straight through the middle.
“When we used width we were very dangerous,” Frear said.
The thing that hurt them was letting McLean and Aslin have too much space unmarked, and those two quick goals in the second half.
He gave Mel Allen the three points.
“Her effort was outstanding,” he said.
“We could have had four or five more goals on us had we not had her.”
Two players returning to the sport – Kate Ferguson and Tara Biffin – got the other points.
Frear said Maddie Doyle also played well.
She scored the extras to Biffin’s double.