WA Over 60's - 2010 Match Reports

WA vs QLD - Monday, September 27, 2010

This first, 8am, game showed that WA may not be a ‘morning’ team as they started inconsistent with their team play. Late night training sessions may have played a part in this and may need to be addressed next year? Queensland started the better side with neat short passing and the occasional long ball. When they did play long their passes were cut out well by Len Blyth and Greg Black in the back positions. Bill Campbell (Cougar) was a terrier in defence at left half continually nipping at the Queensland forward thrusts down their right hand side. Some good moves down the WA left by Peter Morgan (Morgs) and ‘Chip’ Challenor tested the Queensland defence. Both teams forced penalty corners and at one of these a WA defender took one unflinchingly on the foot. At the resulting penalty stroke the despairing, lunging hand of goal keeper, John Harper (Harps) was unable to keep the ball out. WA’s response was to fight back with a flurry of attacks but at halftime Queensland were still one up. 

WA had lost their diminutive but nuggetty centre half Jeff Kozack (Kozzie) before half time due to a hamstring injury. After half time the imposing figure of Geoff Hudson (Huddy) filled the role and made his presence felt. He became a magnet for any ball crossing the field and distributed it tellingly for forays into the Queensland half by the speedy WA forwards. Fitness and skills began to tell and WA dominated this half by moving the ball around the field with better precision in their passing. WA forced numerous short corners without result. Coach Ian Pestana (Pesty) made many shrewd tactical changes with his entire bench and at no time did the team look any weaker for it. With fifteen minutes to go a through ball from Huddy sent Chip on a searching run to the goal, it required a crude brutal tackle from Queensland to send him crashing to the turf. A corner was awarded and the Queensland player sent off. Chip bounced back to his feet with his trademark grin. Finally a penalty corner was rewarded with a goal. Baker stroked a ball at the goalie and somehow Ashley (Ash) Challenor was there to deflect it onto his pad and into the net. WA had the enemy under control for the rest of the game and felt unfortunate not to have taken a win out of this first test of the tournament. The WA defence looked rock solid and mobile and the movement by the speedy WA forwards will improve. 

At the convivial session after the game, Queensland nominated Huddy as the best player for WA on the day. 

Result: WA 1 – QLD 1 
Goal scorer: Ashley Challenor 

WA vs SA - Wednesday, September 29, 2010

On a beautiful twenty four degree day in Bunbury the WA 60’s dominated South Australia for long periods of the game but did not take advantage of many scoring opportunities. Some experienced campaigners on the sidelines have commented on the well drilled structure of the team and some of the structures running around in the team. The defence and halves are well drilled and solid with only the occasional clanger. The forwards swept from end to end with precision passing movements but still need to find the ‘killer instinct’ in the circle. This game pivoted around the two centre halves used, Geoff Hudson and Peter Morgan. Their tight skills and telling passes being a masterful display. Hudson in particular playing confidently, displaying innovative passing and throwing himself full length to the ground for tackles that were missed. Simon Thomson was solid and constructive at right half while Alan Stewart was nippy and elusive. 

With twenty minutes to go, coach Ian Pestana played a tactical master stroke, he took off Dennis Baker and replaced him with Dudley Burress. At the twelve minute mark he threw Baker back on and before South Australia realised he was there Hudson gave a precise defence splitting pass that sent Baker on a thirty metre run deep into the circle, a backpass went to Alan Stewart who drew the goal keeper and Stewart calmly passed around him to Baker to walk into the goal. 

A good solid game from WA with (if we can say it at this age) great potential in further games. 

Result: WA 1 – SA 0 
Goal scorer: Dennis Baker 
Best player as nominated by SA: Dennis Baker

WA vs WAC - Thursday, September 30, 2010

At last WA demonstrated the type of game they are capable of playing. In this City/Country derby they dominated large periods with crisp cross field passing by the backs and halves. Ian Brown was a formidable defender that Country could not get around while Len Blyth swept up any loose balls that managed to slip past. 

The loss of Geoff Hudson due to injury after a few minutes was a big blow to WA. Greg Black filled his position well while the team reorganised. At the fifteen minute mark WA scored from a penalty corner after a push out from Ashley Challenor to Dennis Baker who slipped it right to Peter Morgan. Morgan slammed it home from through a packed defence two metres inside the circle. 1 – 0. 

In the second half WA continued to dominate play with Peter Morgan now at centre half controlling the midfield with right half Simon Thomson. In a flowing move down the right hand side a pass found Jeff Kozak at left inner who sent a thundering precise twenty five pass into Dudley Burress in the circle. Burress calmly deflected the pass past a bewildered goalkeeper. 2 – 0. 

The fighting spirit of Country has never been in question as they fought back to force a penalty stroke. Len Blyth being the offender with a crude tackle. Country scored from the stroke, 2 – 1. 

WA responded immediately with attacking play and scored from a Baker penalty corner with a direct stop and shot, 3 – 1. WA continued with flowing play and failed to convert some further great opportunities they had created. Peter Fogels, Heath Tyrrel and Alan Stewart demonstrated their skills while running at speed. WA must surely have the speediest forwards in this competition. 

A pleasing performance with Peter Morgan considered the best player by the opposition. 

Result: WA 3 – WAC 1

WA vs NSW - Saturday, October 2, 2010

After the promising improvement in each previous game the form of WA in this encounter was disappointing. WA at times played well and forced penalty corners throughout but could not convert them. By half-time NSW were 2 nil ahead, their conversion rate of corners being more efficient. The physicality and determination of NSW provided two more goals in the second half; final score 4 – 0. 
WA has learnt lessons from this encounter and their response should show on the scoreboard of further games. 

Result: WA 0 – NSW 4

WA vs TAS - Tuesday, October 5, 2010

WA started determinedly and strung together flowing passes across the ground that had Tasmania soon floundering to keep in touch with the ball and the WA players. Peter Morgan started the avalanche of goals with a superb field goal, a lofted shot from the edge of the circle past the goalie into the top left of the net. The forward attacks were relentless while the WA defence quickly stifled any of the Tasmanian attacks. By half-time WA had scored six times; Peter Morgan three, Geoff Hudson one from a penalty stroke, Jeff Kozack and Ash Challenor also scoring. 

In the second half Coach Ian Pestana made good use of his full bench throughout the game and continued the unrelenting pressure. Three more goals followed too, one to Graham Challenor and two to Peter Fogels. The final score was 9 – 0. The positive response by WA after the previous loss was courageous and bears well for their next game against Victoria. 

Result: WA 9 – TAS 0

WA vs VIC - Wednesday, October 6, 2010

This was a game WA truly dominated against the Evil Empire but was unable to reflect it in the scoring. WA scored early from a straight forward penalty corner hit in by Dennis Baker. Forwards, Alan Stewart, Peter Morgan, Heath Tyrrell, Ashley and Graeme Challenor made penetrating runs into the Victorian circle but the vital finishing touch was not there. The WA defence of Ian Brown, Greg Black, Len Blythe along with the half line of Bill Campbell, Geoff Hudson, Jeff Kozack and Simon Thompson moved the ball around the field beautifully creating openings for the forwards. Peter Morgan worked hard to be available for many of these passes and then set up his wingers for many searching runs down the left. Towards the end of the first half the WA side looked as it was beginning to tire but a speedy, courageous fifty metre run by Peter Fogels lifted the team and more corners were forced. 

The second half continued in the same vein, but the Victorian defence managed to hold out the rampaging WA forwards. Coach, Ian Pestana made constant changes in the team to search for another breakthrough, with Dudley Burress filling in well at different positions. WA had further opportunities to score but hockey can be a hard taskmaster, a cruel sport; Victoria made two penetrating runs into the circle and from one of these scored to level the score. 1 – 1. Such was the defence; John Harper in goals has had little opportunity to demonstrate his wonderful goal keeping skills. This may change in the Semi Final against WA country on Friday. Victoria was relieved to scramble a draw against the odds. Final score 1 – 1. 

Result: WA 1 – VIC 1 
Goal scorer: Dennis Baker 
Best player as nominated by VIC: Dennis Baker

Semi-Final: WA vs WAC - Friday, October 8, 2010

The ‘Perfect Storm’ in the form of WA 60’s descended on WA Country in this semi final and blew them away six goals to nil; three goals in each half. WA played ‘tough’ hockey while at the same time wore the WA Country team down with their transfer of the ball across field and inter passing between the forwards. The all round speed of the WA team showed early as they constantly intercepted passes, hunted down the Country players and broke through the Country defences. After ten minutes of solid pressure Country were forced into a mistake; Baker intercepted a pass forty metres from goal and made an unimpeded run to the goal keeper, he touched it across to Fogels who drew the goal keeper towards him then passed it back to Baker to slip into the corner. Continued pressure forced a penalty stroke which captain, Geoff Hudson converted, cunningly outfoxing the goalie by pushing it through the considerable gap between his legs. Minutes later Baker scored again during another attack in the circle by slicing the ball high into the net. 

In the second half WA Country forced the attack for ten minutes while the ‘eye of the storm’, the WA defence, backs and halves, were calm and collected. John Harper was particularly impressive in goal. The highlight of the second half was a flowing movement from a defensive corner that saw passing between forwards, Alan Stewart and Ashley Challenor with Stewart finishing off the move to make it 4 – 0. Minutes later Peter Morgan smashed in a penalty corner from the left hand side. In the final seconds Peter Fogels beat several opponents on a long run into the circle before passing back to Heath Tyrrell who moved around the goal keeper to send the ball thundering into the backboard. Final Score 6 – 0. 

Result: WA 6 – WAC 0 
Goal scorers: As above

Final: WA vs QLD - Saturday, October 9, 2010

This was a dour battle as the two top teams fought out the Final in hot conditions. WA had the better of the first half and after seventeen minutes scored with a straightforward corner by Dennis Baker when the ball clipped the prone goal keepers pad and ballooned up and over the line. Peter Morgan sent some excellent passes in the circle to rampaging forwards Alan Stewart, Peter Fogels and Ashley Challenor. WA transferred the ball across field searching for gaps in the Queensland defence but their long reach cut out many promising attacks. 

The second half saw Queensland fight back determinedly and early on scored from a penalty corner. The hot conditions took their toll and many loose passes resulted as both teams tired. While Queensland forced many penalty corners in this half the heroes were the WA defence who held firm. WA finished stronger and for the last ten minutes had the Queensland team under pressure. At full time the score was 1 – 1 and moved on to “golden goal” time. Directly from the hit off the WA forwards moved forward with a passing movement into the circle and forced a penalty corner. A perfect push out went to Dennis Baker at the top of the circle who crashed it into the right hand side backboard. 
Game over, WA 60’s the 2010 champions! 

Peter Morgan was voted by his peers to have been the fairest and best player for the tournament. 

Result: WA 2 – QLD 1