WA Over 45's - 2006 Match Reports

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WA vs WA Country - Tuesday, October 3, 2006

An excellent opener for the WA Over 45 Div 1 team against the WA Country team, starting in solid fashion emphasizing possession for the first 10 minutes of the game. 
Craig Burgess showed very good touch in front of goal, providing the opening score with a deflection from a free hit. This was followed up by the goal of the match scored by Paul Cartwright, deflecting a hard right cross high into the top of the net. The Country defence was demoralised by these two very well executed goals, and was further put off balance with Burgo scoring a second time, and Colin Del making it 4 - 0 just before the break. 

Country only troubled our goals twice in the first half, with their best effort being from a short corner requiring Goose to save low down to the right. 

The second half started in quick fashion, with Josyln nailing an excellent rebound shot after less than two minutes of play. To the credit of the Country defence they denied us for the second half, until Buck scored a classic right post deflection goal from a corner taken after the full time siren sounded. 

A 6-blot scoreline was just what the doctor ordered for the boys, who will go into the game against Tassie brimming with confidence. A day out for the forwards, made better by very willing tackling back in defence, and many interceptions from Country coming out of defence. The half back line also played very well, ensuring that any Country raids were cut off in mid-field and quickly countered. 

Result: WA 6 - WAC 0

WA vs TAS - Wednesday, October 4, 2006

A great result for our second game, with a 5-2 win over Tassie.  
Not without heart flutters today, as Tassie drew back to be only 3-2 down mid way through the second half.  
The quality of the team showed today however, as the boys rallied to slot in two more goals to take the game beyond doubt. 

Once again our forwards shone today, with lots of space being created up front by the strikers - Carty, Jimmy, Burgo, and Joslyn looked great in space and were rewarded with some fantastic goals. 

The goal of the day however surely was our second, with Pesty taking the ball from the half way line in a great display of hard running - a couple of passes were involved, but the final act was delivered by Pesty, dispossessing the full back with a back hand lunge to deliver the ball where it belongs - into the oppositions net. 

Pebo had a day out at centre half, scoring the first goal of the game with a solo effort and a hard shot beating the Tassie keeper and smashing inside the right post. He provided great control, linking well with the inners to keep continuous pressure through the mid field. 

Joslyn scored a fabulous, crowd pleasing goal early in the second half, with a fine first time shot off the back foot from a deflection from the over worked Tassie keeper. 

Tassies goals came in quick order and against the run of play.  

Burgo steadied the ship perfectly when we drove forward on a fast counter attack, putting the ball into the top of the net from the top of the D - a goal to please any forward. 

We finished off again with some success from our short corners - Spirit nailing a flick after a well worked variation. 

A heartening win for the team, who are all looking forward to taking on the Queenslanders on Thursday.

Result: WA 5 - TAS 2

WA vs QLD2 - Thursday, October 5, 2006

Another solid performance from the Black Ducks, with plenty of action in front of goals - and lots of missed shots to boot. Could have been 10-1 if we had put all of our opportunities away, but still a 5-1 score line is not to be sneezed at. 

TD burst onto the scene today with a perfectly placed shot from the top that lazily swayed past the outstreached leg of the Bananabender keeper. Burgo made it 2 up at half time with an excellent reverse scoop in the dying minutes of the half, having first committed the keeper. 

A flurry of activity in the last minute of the half saw Queensland win a couple of short corners, but a solid defensive effort denied them, highlighted by Cartie's blistering pace to intercept the hit out on a corner after the hooter. 

Bede made it on to the score board in the second half with a well executed deflection from a drive through the circle, and was joined on the scoreboard by Joslyn with one of his trademark perfectly placed flat hits. 

Buck got on the scoreboard again (3 in 3 games, even though the second was an own goal) with another corner hit. We are getting plenty of corners, and are not starting to grow some confidence that we can convert from them. 

The team did look good today, particularly when the midfield committed themselves to their defensive work. There was little way through for the Queensland team, and apart from a somewhat fortuitous goal from a short corner, they did little to trouble us inside the circle.  

Peabo had a fairly good game both in defense and running the ball up through the centre - great control. 

More hard games to follow - but 16 for and 3 against in our first 3 games is a damn good start. 

Result: WA 5 - QLD2 1

WA vs QLD1 - Sunday, October 8, 2006

Expecting this to be our biggest challenge in the tournament to date, the team was well prepared for the encounter with the number one outfit from the Banana Benders. Most of the boys watched them play their previous game, so we had a fair idea of their tactics and methodology. 

We decided that we would come out firing, and did we ever. Their keeper was called upon to make lots of saves in the first ten minutes, with shots being peppered from field play and short corners alike.  

The Queensland outfit were becoming frustrated with our close attention to their mid-field and their consequent inability to deliver quality ball to their forwards. The frustration soon boiled over, resulting in a yellow card and short corner from a fairly agricultural tackle that would have been more at home on the Darling Downs than the Perth Hockey Stadium. 

We scored from that short corner, as a result of excellent team play, with Pebo passing to Jimmy who layed off to Bede for the shot, and then Pebo taking the rebound from the pads to finish off at close range. 

A second goal was scored with their man in the sin bin. Bede provided an accurate cross from out wide to Jimmy who finished off with crisp professionalism. The hard working Queensland keeper never seemed to recover from this second goal, allowing our forwards to begin to take total control of the game. 

Goal number three saw a great link up between Josh and Burgo. Rebounding on the counter attack, Josh got a lovely through ball into space. He eliminated the last defender by passing to a free Burgo in the circle, Burgo in an inspirational piece of team play for a striker, gave the ball back to the better placed Josh who beat the keeper pointless. 

Queensland had some chances late in the second half, but our study of their short corner battery paid off and we were able to nullify their tactics - when they got to take a hit that is. Carty was absolutely inspirational in his running out, more often than not getting to the stopper before he had a chance to lay off. In fact, he was too fast for the umpire to believe he could have got his stick to the ball on one particular occasion - resulting in a 'feet' decision against him when he got a clear strike with the stick. 

The fourth goal came from a crucial error in deep defence, with a 16 yard hit going straight to TD, who thanked the lord very quickly, then took one step into the circle, and belted the ball past the keeper. 

Burgo finished off the scoring with a fifth just after half time, on the back of a typically brilliant steal from Jimmy. 

A 5-0 result was richly deserved. The team played with vigour and high spirits and most importanty stuck to the plan. We go into Tuesday's game against NSW knowing it is our biggest test, but with lots of confidence.

Result: WA 5 - QLD1 0

WA vs NSW1 - Tuesday, October 10, 2006

The lads came down with a severe case of Millionaires Disease today, believing that a 5-0 score line was the norm rather than something that has to be worked for.  

So a loss, but probably a great wake up call that will provide value for the team as the business end of the tournament is now upon us. 

We started slowly, allowing NSW possession in the mid field which they quickly capitalised on. They scored from a fast attack and a lucky rebound from a short corner to be 2-0 up after just 15 minutes. 
This sparked the Black Ducks into some aggression, which was rewarded with a superb base line goal by Willo mid way through the half. A ball which probably should have sent to the spot, instead crashed through the Waratahs goalie right on the post to give the team a great lift. 

We had our chances throughout the game, but frankly it was one of those days where the ball never seemed to be in the right spot for a shot when we came into the attacking D, and we just couldn't get our short corners right. 

Our defence was placed under real pressure in the second half for the first time in the tournament, and to its credit held NSW goal-less in the second half. 

We are looking forward to playing them again and squaring up the ledger! 

Result: WA 1 - NSW1 2

WA vs NSW2 (Wombats) - Wednesday, October 11, 2006

A welcome return to the winners circle for the team today, with a heartening 6-1 win over the Wombats. After yesterday's loss in hot and sultry conditions, the weather turned cool and wet as we ventured to Melville's Duracraft Stadium for our last pool game. 

We were saddened to learn that we have lost Buck for the rest of the tournament with a broken hand. He contributed greatly to the team and added plenty of stability in defence. Burgo also has some injury worries, with a damaged AC joint from yesterday's game, but we are hopeful he will be fit for Friday. 

The Wombats came out hard, playing a similar style and system as their Number 1 team. They matched us well for the first 15 minutes until we were able to find the net when Carty blasted one in from dead in front after an unselfish build up into the circle. Carty scored again soon after, doing a wonderful job of seagulling in front of the net, followed by Colin getting into the action when he pounced on a rebound from a very good save by their keeper off an equally good shot from Jimmy. 

Jimmy got one himself before half time, to have us 3-1 up at the break. The Wombats scored opportunistically from the restart after Jimmy's goal, right on the half time hooter. 

The team came out firing again in the second half. Carty the seagull wound up with a hat-trick, and Josh put the final nail in the coffin from the penalty stroke spot. 

Dave had his second game with the team today at centre half and found his touch well, earning him best player as judged by the opposition. Carty also had a fine game with a hat trick and innumerable steals from the opposition. 

A great effort from the team today, particularly the forwards and mid-field. We are looking forward to the semi final on Friday and the chance to earn a rematch with the Waratahs on Saturday.

Result: WA 6 - NSW2 1

Semi-Final - WA vs TAS - Friday, October 13, 2006

The boys were very fired up to take it up to the Tassie outfit in the semi final. The plan was to put pressure on early and then try and sustain it throughout the match. 

You would have to say that the game plan was well stuck to - 5-1 at half time and 10-3 at full time. 
10 goals in a semi-final! Now that suggests a team full of quality strike power. Everyone got amongst the goals, so many that your hapless reporter was unable to keep up - suffice to say that Carty got some, Jimmy got some, Burgo got some, Josh got some, and then a few more as well. 

Forward power ruled, combined with a rock solid mid field that completely starved the islanders of any quality ball during the game.

Result: WA 10 - TAS 3

Final - WA vs NSW - Saturday, October 14, 2006

Having been beaten by NSW in the rounds, we were cautious about this game. Realising that NSW played to a system that had proved effective in the round game, the brains trust of Jimmy and Pee Beau devised some ploys of their own. 

WA went out hard, as was our normal match plan. A very focussed effort in attack led to many opportunities in the first quarter of the game, but with the Waratah's goal keeper having a blinder (for us, he had a best on ground outing), we couldnt find the net. We finally converted off a well worked short corner when our brand new recruit Barks the Bandit (now forever to be referred to as GAG or even GAT - goal a tournament) found the crucial gap under the goalies body and got us 1 up. 

Despite a plethora of possession and shot after shot, we were not able to add to the scoreline, which made for a tense encounter, but one that WA controlled througout. Again, the WA midfield was dominant with forwards willingly tackling back and not allowing the NSW attack to use back passes as an avenue of changing the direction of the play. The work rate of our forwards was to be admired, and the commitment of our halves particularly after the untimely loss of Spirit to a broken arm was inspiring. The loss of Spirit was a sad blow, but he rose to the occasion from the dug out and kept the work rate up with his voice. 

Deep defence was rarely challenged in this game, but when it was the response was cool and professional. Goose was only called upon to work on a handful of occasions, but was required to make one telling save from a short corner late in the game (if I do say so myself - well okay, if Im taking the time to write it, I may as well give myself some credit!). 

WA won comfortably, although the score board did not reflect our dominance. The owners and management of Maurizios restaurant in Northbridge became well aware of our dominance during the course of our celebratory dinner later that day. 

And the highlight of the tournament - Carty's rendition of Singing in the Rain at the restaurant!

Result: WA 1 - NSW 0