WA Over 55's - 2007 Match Reports

WA vs VIC - Monday, October 1, 2007

The WA over 55's have started well in the Australian Vets Championships on the Gold Coast. The WA side are keen to hold the trophy they won in Perth last year and although there is some change to their personnel, they appear to have a side capable of winning the championships. 

New to the side are goalkeeper John Harper, Terry Parker, former Olympian Malcolm Poole, Bill Campbell, Dudley Evans, Dave Evans and Peter Komyshan. 

Day 1 saw WA play their old nemesis Victoria 1 in Brisbane. It was a hot day and both sides made maximum use of the interchange bench as they battled out a 0 - 0 draw. The first half probably belonged to Victoria who held better possesion of the ball and made the WA side work with a lot of chasing. WA were fortunate when a bad umpiring decision gave the Vics a penalty stroke after a fine save on the line by Alan Green. Luckily, David Peebles missed the stroke. Unluckily for David Peebles, he broke a collarbone in the second half when he fell attempting to get past WA centre half Geoff Hudson. 
The Vics had a number of penalty corners in the first half but were unable to convert any of them. WA had none in this half. 

In the second half WA started to play better team hockey, holding the ball effectively and creating some quick counter attacks. This often resulted in a penalty corner but WA were unable to convert, although had the Vics worried with their variations. 
John Harper kept WA in the game with a magnificent save of Victorian Peter Robertson in the second half and with this and numerous other good saves, was named best player by the opposition.

Result: WA 0 - VIC 0

WA vs WAC - Tuesday, October 2, 2007

Only 16 hours after our Monday game, WA were fronting for their second game when they played WA Country at the Gold Coast venue. WA started their game with a few positional changes and a change in system from that used on the previous day. This had an immediate effect and the team was able to find more space, hold better possesion, and keep WA Country defence under pressure. Unfortunately in the first half they were not able to convert this dominance into goals. 
However, in the second half perseverence saw the goals come. The first came from Malcolm Poole who converted a great centreing pass from Dennis Baker. Dennis then put his own name on the board when he slap-hit a pass from Butch Worth on a penalty corner variation. The third goal came from a fine build-up and great strike from the hard-working Peter Komyshan. 
The score stayed at 3 - 0 with the WA side happy to get the three points, still with no goals against. 
Peter komyshan was named best player by the opposition.

Result: WA 3 - WAC 0

WA vs NSW2 - Thursday, October 4, 2007

The WA O/55's continued on their winning way with a comfortable 5-0 victory over NSW #2. 
Goals came regularly throughout the game with a hat trick to Terry Parker and two goals to the versatile Bill Campbell. The WA team had many chances and if it had not been for some fine goalkeeping by the NSW keeper, the score could have been into double figures. 

Coach Graham Ryan would have to be happy with his charges at this point in the tournament as they have only Tasmania to play before the 2nd round, and the business end of the tournament begins. 

Malcolm Poole was named the WA best player by the opposition.

Result: WA 5 - NSW2 0

WA vs TAS - Saturday, October 6, 2007

The WA side were aware that a good win would put them in the top spot in pool A before the cross-over and were in a very positive mood as they travelled to Brisbane to take on Tasmania. The weather had again produced a warm, humid day which made playing conditions hard for both sides. Early pressure from WA could not produce a goal despite a few very close efforts, especially from Mal Poole allied to some good saves from the Tassie goalie. With increasing pressure the goal had to come and the deadlock was finally broken when Terry Parker latched on to a loose ball in the D and calmly pushed it home. 

Just before the half-time break, the score was doubled when Len Collier got a touch on the line to score from a cross by Terry Parker. Terry would claim a "stolen" goal but Len would insist that you have to make sure! The team jury is still out on that one! (or so the author of this particular match report would have you believe). 

The second half saw WA still dominating play with some great midfield interplay from Dudley Evans, Dennis Baker, Geoff Hudson and Peter Komyshan. A third goal had to come and it followed some fantastic team play as the ball was passed around before a hard cross to the far right post was deflected in by Mal Poole. A minor set-back followed as WA let in their first goal of the tournament from a disputed Tassie short corner. However, this appeared to spur on the WA boys and following some great work and a cross from Les Hayter, Terry Parker's flick in to the goal was stopped on the line by a Tasmanian body, resulting in a penalty stroke. Geoff, "Huddy" Hudson, calmy stroked the ball between the keepers legs, a novel technique, to restore the lead. 

A few more close chances and some more good saves followed as WA continued their dominance which was rewarded with Terry Parker scoring his second goal and his 5th of the tournament, following a great build-up with a superb interchange of passing which totally bemused the opposition. 

Another very solid performance with all team members contributing. Dennis Baker was voted Best Player by the opposition. The win sealed top spot for the WA side as winners of Pool A. 

Next week promises tougher games as the top three teams in Pools A & B, come together to contest the 55's A Grade.

Result: WA 5 - TAS 1

WA vs QLD1 - Monday, October 8, 2007

The business end of the tournament has been reached with WA O/55's finishing undefeated and top of their pool. The top 3 from Pool A now play the top 3 from Pool B over the next 4 days to determine the top 4 teams who will then proceed to finals. 

WA O/55's played QLD #1 today in what proved to be a tight, thrilling encounter, played in good spirit. 

Both teams played controlled, open hockey with QLD probably creating more chances in the first half. Graham Ryan, in cover defence, saved a certain QLD goal when he saved a shot on the line. He also repeated a similar save in the second half to keep WA in the game. 

WA were first to score when a fine, crisp buildup saw Malcolm Poole smash the ball into the top corner of the net. WA went into half-time 1-0 up. 

QLD came out with more zest in the second half in an attempt to equalise. WA goalkeeper John Harper was called on to make a succession of saves to thwart the QLD forwards. QLD eventually equalised when they put away one of a number of penalty corners they earned in the second half. 

WA continued to push for the winner, holding a lot of midfield control. However, they were unable to penetrate the attacking 25 and convert. 

The final score stayed at 1-1, probably a fitting result to the game. 

John Harper was named best for WA after another fine effort in the net.

Result: WA 1 - QLD1 1

WA vs NSW1 - Tuesday, October 9, 2007

The WA O/55's lost their first game of the tournament when they were humbled by NSW #1 at the Gold Coast under lights. NSW #1 had finished first in their pool and had scored many goals in their lead up games to the second round. 

They continued this trend when they scored in the first 5 minutes against the previously unbeaten WA team. NSW showed more composure and had far more midfield control than WA. With better balance around the field they were able to maintain possesion for long periods of time and thus apply pressure to the WA defence. 

WA scored its only goal of the game early in the second half when a fine buildup saw Dennis Baker find the overlapping Les Hayter in the circle and "The Ferret" finished off with a firm shot which deflected into the goal. 

However, NSW continued to assert their dominance to score a further two goals and finish the game with a 4-1 victory. The WA team will need to play with more desire and composure if it has aspirations of holding it's Australian Champion's tag. 

John Harper was awarded best WA player by the opposition.

Result: WA 1 - NSW#1 4

WA vs QLD2 - Thursday, October 11, 2007

In the final game of the crossovers, the WA O/55's team cemented second position with a convincing 7-1 result over Queensland #2. 

The WA team went back to a conventional system and found this to their liking as they played with more width and were able to keep possesion of the ball for quite long periods of time. 

Even though the team won 7-1 and created plenty of chances, the score could have been higher if there had been better conversion in the circle. 

As it was, WA had 7 separate scorers with Baker, Ryan, Worth and Evans scoring in the first half and then Parker, Poole and Komyshan scoring in the second half after Queensland had started the second half with a reasonably quick goal. 

In the very hot and humid conditions both teams played out the game in good spirit and both continued to play fully until the final whistle. 

It now appears that WA will play Victoria in the 2 vs 3 semi-final on Friday 12th. 

Terry Parker was named best player for WA by the opposition.

Result: WA 7 - QLD2 1

Semi-final: WA vs VIC - Friday, October 12, 2007

The WA O/55's overcame a first half 2-0 deficit to surge into the final against NSW, with a 3-2 victory over Victoria. 

Victoria scored early in the game throught their captain Peter Robertson who tapped in a deflection on the post. They followed this up with another goal shortly after to have the WA side on their heels. However, the WA team settled and began to hold better possesion, eventually pushing deep into the Victorian circle. They were rewarded when Dudley Evans pushed the ball under the goalie to record WA's first goal and take the game to half time with a 1-2 scoreline. 

In the second half, WA began to dominate the game with crisp, close passing. They scored again through Dudley Evans and then again through Terry Parker who scored after a fine build up which started from a pass out from the back by Bill Campbell. The score now 3-2 in WA's favour. 

Victoria continued to pressure the WA defence but good positioning and tackling by Campbell and Green kept them out. 

WA now play NSW in the final. They need to turn around a 4-1 round game deficit.

Result: WA 3 - VIC 2

Grand Final: WA vs NSW - Saturday, October 13, 2007

The WA 55's failed to capitalise on a great two weeks of hockey when they were defeated 2-1 by NSW in a thrilling final. 

The WA team commenced quickly and had much of the early play. However, the NSW team had also done their homework and discouraged much of the WA play through the WA right side attack led by Mal Poole. This right side attack worked well in the first half and a quick passage of play with five consectutive passes, saw Dudley Evans score the first goal of the game. Half time 1-0. 

In the second half the NSW team began to hold better possession and had the WA defence under pressure. The WA side were tiring and the NSW attack persisted until they scored through Dennis Cranston. WA tried desperately to get back on top but NSW held firm and scored again to put themselves in a winning position. 

A number of fast breaks by the WA team were thwarted in the last line of defence by NSW and they held on to win 2-1. 

The WA team were unhappy to lose the final but content in the fact that through good team play they were able to make the grand final and give themselves a chance to hold the championship shield. 
Maybe in Darwin next year. 

Result: WA 1 - NSW 2