WA Over 65's - 2009 Match Reports

WA vs WAC - Monday, September 28, 2009

It was fascinating scheduling by the Victorian Veterans Committee to have two WA teams play each other on a cold, blustery Melbourne day, we could have done it better home in WA. And, because of the conditions the game was scrambly from the start. 

WA made two early charges into the 'Country' circle only to have them do likewise into ours. Their second attempt resulted in a scoop shot by (normally city player) Wally Daly where the ball hit the inside upper, right post of our goal and travelled across to the left post before deflecting outwards. However the umpire ruled that the ball arced across our goal line between the posts. Hence one goal to 'Country'. 

WA then put in some effort and were awarded a number of short corners but to no avail. In due course through continued pressure the equaliser arrived shortly before half time, through a firm short corner hit by Peter Gason.  

The second half of the game was more of the same with continued WA thrusts and a few short corners, but no goal.  
Eventually, Gordon Thomas - a first timer with the 65s - burst into the circle and with a neat, but none-too-hard chop on the ball sent it into the goal. 

Result: WA 2 - WAC 1 
Goal scorers: Peter Gason 1, Gordon Thomas 1 
Best player as nominated by WAC: Roger Jewell 

WA vs NSW - Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Wednesday was another bleak, grey Melbourne day with high wind which swept down the Footscray pitch - none too inviting particularly in the late afternoon when WA faced New South Wales.  

It became a torrid affair for us (WA) as we won the toss and elected to head upwind into the face of a half gale and an inspired NSW team. They took the advantage and had us defending steadfastly from the outset. Fortunately, after holding off a number of heavy charges from NSW, and 4 short corners against us, we were relieved to have a quarter time break.  

In the 2nd quarter our composure improved, but we relapsed to allow a NSW goal following a contested short corner. But, some short time later we hit our straps with some neat manouvers allowing Trevor Kerr to slip into the NSW circle and with a deft chipped shot sent the ball arching over a diving goalie.  

One all at half time. 

For the 3rd and 4th quarters the game was played frenetically - for 65 year olds, that is! Backwards and forwards the game flowed, with the major difference between the teams being NSW's ability to gain 5 short corners (or perhaps their ability to convince the umpire to this end?). However, each short corner was defended strongly by the WA defenders.  

The game closed with some dramatic scenes: first two NSW defenders ran into one another with one having to leave the field with a worrying neck injury, and then another NSW player, in the last minute, receiving a bad cut to the head whilst thoughtlessly tackling Peter Gason from the left. 

Result: WA 1 - NSW 1 
Goal scorers: Trevor Kerr 
Best player as nominated by WA: Colin Whittaker (NSW) 
Best player as nominated by NSW:Colin Sanders 

WA vs ACT - Friday, October 2, 2009

It was a grey, cold evening at the Altona ground when WA faced ACT - a team not to be underestimated, and one accustomed to bleak chilly conditions.  
Our coach Peter Hammond warned us not to be complacent in the first part of the game and surrender a goal as we had done in our two earlier matches.  
He encouraged us to really strive from the start. But, at our age deafness seems to be chronic. And that proved to be the case in the first quarter as ACT after a minute or two of their own indicisiveness, showed potential in the cold conditions by continually atacking the WA goal. 
Eventually their thrusts paid off for them with a flicked goal over the top of a prone Barry Rutter who moments before had agilely deflected a straight hit away. 
From then on we, the WA team collectively, realised that the game could only be won through determination and skill and we picked up our pace and urgency. 
We now became the dominant team with frequent charges into ACT territory. 
Within a short space of time in the second quarter with all forwards contributing we had had 5 corners awarded to us and Peter Gason in each case drove the ball hard at the goal. 
Each hit however was saved off the line by the ACT defence, or the ball was just wide of the posts. 
The remainder of the first half continued similarly with WA in the ascendency but without an equaliser, and at one point WA was lucky when a rare ACT forard move deflected off our goal post. 
Such is the gripping aspect of this quick, dogged, but highly enjoyable game - frustrating one minute and damned annoying the next (although the reverse may also apply?). 

The second half saw WA continuing the assault on the ACT territory particularly through forward runs and superb centering moves by left inner Ronnie Vennables. 
Again, another 5 corners was awarded to WA and eventually a splendid hit directly at the goal by Peter Gason saw the ball ricochet off the ACT captain and full-back (Des Biddle) into the top of the goal. At last one all!  
WA didn't let-up, we continued our thrusts mainly down our right side with hard work from Trevor Kerr, Brian Soares and Gordon Thomas but to no avail.  
The ACT defence proved indefatigable. And from time to time, ACT recovered composure to move quickly into our half of the field. 
Skilful defence of our own led by Roger Jewell on the right half flank, Les Waldon playing as a sweeping full back with an uncanny sence of where the ball was heading, and David Munt as the last line with goal keeper Barry Rutter, together saved WA's bacon. 

The game drew to a close with forward dashes by both sides with every move repulsed by the respective defence.  
By now, the game was under lights of a dubious strength which reduced the ability of players to exhibit the skills they had shown earlier in the game. 

Result: WA 1 - ACT 1 

Goal scorers: Peter Gason 
Best player as nominated by WA: Gordon (NSW) 
Best player as nominated by ACT: Ron Vennables 

WA vs QLD - Sunday, October 4, 2009

At last it was a fine, warm morning at the Altona field, although a little too early for us (WA) as 'daylight saving' in the eastern states had commenced at 2am.  
Nonetheless we confidently took on Queensland the league leaders who have won all their 3 previous games.  
But again, as has been the case for our (WA) first 3 outings, we conceded a goal within 8 minutes of the start.  
Somehow WA has developed a rather negative strategy at the commencement of games, requiring us to spend the rest of the game fighting back; which of course is what we did.  
From that goal onward throughout the first half WA dominated play and we were awarded a number of short corners but each charge was repulsed. 
There were some special passages of play from WA, particularly left to right (and vice versa) crosses into our attacking circle, but the finish was lacking in each case. 
Moreover, frustratingly we had an obligatory hard hit ball deflect off our attacking goal post - a circumstance which has also become a feature of each of our matches.  
Somehow, from hereon-in we will have to change our tactics in this regard. 

Into the third quarter WA remained the dominant team although the game surged back and forth. Each team had 2 short corners to defend but no goals resulted. 
That quarter was remarkable in being quite torrid with the players from both teams giving their utmost and much of the play being conducted between the respective 25m lines. 

The final quarter saw a Queensland revival mainly through their right-side, which had our left midfield working overtime.  
Again through good defence and some real luck for us,in that 2 easy opportunities by Queensland right-side forwards went astray, WA was saved the ignominy of conceding another goal. 
Toward the end of the game most players were pretty-much stuffed and the skill level declined consequently. 
Although we (WA) strived through most of the game we could not overcome the one goal deficit, leaving Queensland to win their fouth consecutive game. 

Result: WA 0 - QLD 1 

Goal scorers: 0 
Best player as nominated by WA: Mike Weston (QLD) 
Best player as nominated by QLD: Colin Sanders 

WA vs VIC - Tuesday, October 6, 2009

We (WA) had a first-up game at 8.30am Tuesday (or 7.30am true time - daylight saving now being in place for the eastern states) against an invigorated Victoria. 
It was a very grey morning with sprinkling rain and the threat of thunder, altogether too early and too cold for us West Aussies.  
The game furthermore was important as WA needed to win or draw the game to remain in third place on the leader board.  
A loss would see us possibly dropping out of the semi-finals next Thursday. 

The game for WA started reasonably well with WA controlling the ball and having a few forward thrusts and denying Victoria possession, although it was not long before the cold, or something, got to us and we lost dominance.  
The game then started to move back and forth throughout the latter part of the quarter with Victoria slowly gaining confidence and territory.  
A couple of slip-ups by WA saw Victoria with 2 penalty corners before quarter time, but each corner was fortunately easily defended. 

The 2nd quarter was much the same for a while, with occasional promising forward moves through left inner Ronnie Venables in particular, accompanied by bursts of aggression by most WA players.  
Victoria nonetheless saw-off each of our charges.  
Slowly they gained ascendancy probably because of WA players' relapse in skill and strategy rather than from the Victorians' own abilities.  
This led to a number of Victorian penalty corners but again the WA defence held strong seeing the ball away either over the backline or the side. 
One Victorian short corner was fearlessly charged-down which demonstrated that the WA players had the mettle if they could only get the whole game plan into positive action. 
But, that didn't happen, and neither did the pressure from Victoria let up. 
Eventually we (WA) cracked and conceded a goal from a slick Victorian move along the baseline with the ball being pushed back by their atacking right-wing to a waiting forward directly in front of our goal. 
Shortly before half time Ian Hill slipped down the WA right wing and in a tactic mirroring the earlier Victorian move charged along their baseline but the goalie anticipated the action and padded the ball away. 
At half time Victoria remained one-up with WA on the backfoot. 

The third quarter of the game appeared to be a repeat of the second with WA players' consistent errors being the major difference between the two teams.  
Again, another goal was scored by Victoria to which there didn't seem to be much answer, except from some hard work by centre forward Trevor Kerr with help from Gordon Thomas and Robin Bailey. 

With two goals down the WA coach Peter Hammond experimented in the last quarter with players in unusual positions. 
This had some positive effects in that Victoria couldn't gain control of the ball and they were forced to often play the ball over the side or backlines. 
Also this strategy, where two quick moving midfielders - Peter Gason and Col Sanders moved into the forward line, denied Victoria any chance to breach the WA defence.  
WA held sway but we didn't have the legs to go on and score the necessary goals. 

With WA losing Victoria moved to 3rd place and WA's fate became dependent on the outcome of the next two games. 
Fortunately, through dint of circumstance the two challengers for 4th place - ACT and WA Country - were easily beaten respectively by Queensland and NSW.  
This situation provides for WA to play Queensland in the second semi-final on Thursday afternoon. 
New South Wales takes on Victoria in the first semi. 

Result: WA 0 - Victoria 2 

Best player as nominated by VIC: Trevor Kerr

SemiFinal WA vs QLD - Thursday, October 8, 2009

This was an evening where by-and-large we (WA) got our hockey minds and bodies together; we needed to.  
Queensland had put together a powerful and confident group of players and was clearly the best persistent combination at the carnival, the leading team into the semi-finals, although in the rounds QLD only beat us 1 nil. 
In this context the game was promising for both teams, each striving for a win to ensure getting into the grand-final on Saturday. 

Throughout the first quarter the game swung back and forth as both teams tried for supremacy.  
It was a bit like twenty two feral bulls fighting head-on for the right to possess territory with all the trumpeting and exhaultation that accompanies it. 
And, this day WA didn't concede an early goal and didn't look like doing so although we had to defend two corners which we did relatively easily.  
On the other hand neither did we show ascendancy within our attacking circle.  
The change in the pattern of the WA play was partly due to a clever manoeuver by coach Peter Hammond, to have the three left side players (Roger Jewell, Ron Venables and Colin Sanders) rotate and leave the Queensland defence bamboozled. 
To say the least it was a stand-off. All the WA players contributed to the strength of the play to their credit. 
There was no score either way by the end of the quarter. 

The second quarter was a repeat of the first, again with the WA left-side players rotating but with the addition of centre-half Peter Gason moving into the right inner position and Peter Willett taking the center. However no score resulted although there were some promising thrusts. 

The third quarter saw an invigorated Queensland take control of the game with persistent attacks on the WA circle and a few penetrations resulting in 4 penalty corners for them.  
Again the WA defence was well constructed and held-off these attacks. 

This set the scene for a last quarter with 22 players bent on urgency to win, although Queensland had only to draw the game to move into the grand-final by dint of their higher position on the leader board. 
By all accounts both from the players concerned and the many spectators drawn to the drama, the last quarter was played at a frenetic pace notwithstanding that all the players were older than 65yrs. 
WA reversed the Queensland charge of the previous quarter and took the game up to them.  
We had a number of corners right-up to the last moments of the game but the hard hits by Peter Gason were either stopped or went just astray of the goal post. 
Five minutes from the end saw a notable sequence of play for WA with the ball being moved up from defence to Gason positioned on the right close to the 25m line, who spied your scribe (Colin Sanders) on the far left side of the Queensland circle.  
A perfectly weighted hit sent the ball to Colin at the top of the circle who had Queensland's persistent tagger - Bob Tindale - in front of him protecting the line toward the goal, so Colin rotated further to the left and executed a driving tomahawk hit.  
The ball lifted and lined-up on the far post and as Queensland's (actually WA player) goalie Geoff Corlett dived to save, the spin imparted on the ball by the hit caused it to swing away only just missing the post.  
It gave the crowd something to roar about and to comment upon later. But it left us goaless and Queensland likewise. 

While we (WA) came to the carnival with some players carrying injuries because of the long winter season, and because of a heavy game-load for players who had been overseas or elsewhere, the outcome for us was none-too-bad.  
We finished with 1 win, 2 losses and 3 draws including the semi-final.  
Well done to all the players and to the coach - Peter Hammond.  
Many thanks to our supporters, particularly our wives; and with special mention to the crowd who were attracted to the semi-final. They were an inspiration. 

Result: WA 0 - QLD 0