Services avenged for their 3-all draw seven days before with a 3-1 win over Tudor Wests in their Tamworth women’s first grade clash on Sunday.
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It was a performance that would have pleased coach Kimmy McLean had she been there.
She was away at NSW Country training.
“We did all the things that Kimmy has been yelling at us to do the last few weeks,” Gabbi D’Ambros said.
Missing several of their more experienced players, it meant some of the younger players that have been in first grade for a few years had step up and take on a bit more responsibility.
It also meant they couldn’t be as reliant on McLean.
“Having Kim away the younger girls couldn’t just look for Kim,” D’Ambros said.
“It meant they had to show off their skills and run the ball a bit more.”
They also as a team had to work a lot harder, particularly chasing back.
One of the strongest parts of their game was their passing.
“We rolled the ball a lot around their defence and our press was really good,” D’Ambros said.
The other big difference to the previous game was the intensity.
“The intensity was a lot better. I think we had them on the back foot from the start,” she said.
Shelley Stevenson came in to help them out, and really controlled things and made a lot of space for the players up front, D’Ambros said.
Taniesha Donnelly was one of those, and had a strong game, while Prue Davies stepped up at the back in the absence of captain Kate Perrett.
Tudors coach Helen Willis said they were a little flat compared to the previous weekend.
“We struggled to make strong connections between defence and attack this week and our communication wasn’t as strong across all our lines which showed in our game and something we will need to improve,” Willis said.
“We did play some good hockey though and when we moved the ball well we were able to make some good strong attacking plays.”
“Unfortunately in patches we switched off a little and Services were able to take advantage of that.”
Natalie Willis was strong on the right for them. Chloe Walker, as an attacking midfielder, Brooklyn Cooper in the middle and Georgia Horniman up front, also played well.
Flames were similarly to Services missing a number of players, but overcame Olympians 4-2.
“It was a really great club win,” coach Barrie Pritchard said.
“Out of the 13 players we used, seven of them were from the lower grades.”
They led 1-nil at half-time, courtesy of Kim Resch, who “made a lot of decisive runs” in the first half and would have had “three or four good chances”.
Pritchard said they started pretty well in the second half, Ash Allen missing an early opportunity, before Olympians levelled.
Flames went ahead again in the 13th minute and five minutes later Tegan Smith doubled their advantage. But Olympians hit back not long after to make it a one-goal game again.
Allen sealed the win with a powerful direct hit with around five minutes remaining.
She and Kate Ferguson both had strong games in the middle, Pritchard said, while Brydie Wellham organised the defence well.
He also made mention of Marley Pitt making her first grade debut, and Tanya McKnight stepping in in goals, having not kept for at least five years.
“She had a super game for us,” he said.
In the Saturday night game Waratahs edged out Souths 4-3.
Waratahs coach Graeme McKenzie said it was a good match and could only remember there only ever being one goal in it.
Tahlia Rekunow scored the match-winner for them with about eight or nine minutes remaining.
“I was really pleased. We were missing Katrina (Rekunow),” McKenzie said.
She was also at NSW Country training.
He said Souths are playing some good hockey and was happy with his sides defence and attack, the latter particularly through the midfield.
“I was really happy with our control and movement of the ball through the midfield,” he said.
“And I was really happy with our passing game.”
They also did “some clever things in the circle”.
Helping them out for the game, Maddie Cryer was one of their best.
“She played like she hasn’t been missing at all,” he said.
He said it was difficult to identify anyone in particular but did also note that Kate Rummery had her strongest game of the season.