WA Over 70's - 2013 Match Reports

WA vs QLD - Monday, September 23, 2013

The opening game at a tournament is usually a torrid affair and this was the way the game played out with WA taking on Queensland. Western Australia while initially hesitant became the dominant team within the first 10 minutes, but braking into QLD's defensive circle was another kettle of fish. We couldn't breach their line. However before quarter time we (WA) managed to gain a strong foothold in their defensive area and won a series of short corners,but to no avail. At the rest, the score remained zero each. The Queensland full backs and half-backs played strongly on our forwards frustrating our attacking moves. 

The second quarter was played similarly with again WA proving dominant but with no goals in sight. And so the game progressed into the 3rd quarter, with plenty of initiative from the boys from the west, regrettably including a missed opportunity from Stan Salazaar directly in front of the goal, with again two short corners going astray. 

The fourth quarter was a struggle, a struggle for WA to try and goal, and a determined man on man effort of the Queensland players to prevent it. They did little (probbly very little) to attack but on the otherhand continued to doggedly defend, which in hindsight was for them, a useful strategy because it was unlikely that they could beat WA and a point by drawing the game would be to a small measure to their advantage. So it proved! 
The game ended tamely in zero-zero draw. 

Result: WA 0 – QLD o 

Goal scorers: - 
Best player as voted by WA : Dick Cummins (QLD). 
Best player as voted by QLD: Colin Sanders (WA) 
Cards: Yellow – nil. Green – nil.

WA vs VIC - Tuesday, September 24, 2013 

The Victoria versus Western Australia game in the first quarter was a more even affair than our (WA) first run 21 hours earlier against Queensland. Victoria attacked from the outset and set the pace but WA's defence was solid although shaken. Perhaps we were well stirred out of our slumber because within 10 minutes the tide had turned to our favour. WA succeeded in gaining a penalty corner, but hitter Captain Peter Gason drove his shot direct at the Victorian goal keeper who padded the ball straight back in the air at waist height. However, with wonderful baseball skills, which Peter must have learned from the Jamie Dwyers of the hockey world, he hit the ball hard back into the goal leaving the defenders with absolutely no chance. So WA one up at Quarter time. 

The second quarter was played faster with a more determined WA side showing ascendancy and again WA pushed into the circle for a short corner. This time Peter was able to angle the ball across the Victorian goal keeper, and the ball netted hard into the right-hand post of the Victorian goal. WA was 2up by half-time and travelling well. Although, one player overzealously tackled the Victorian wingman and received a green card for the effort. 

The third quarter was a tit for tat sequence mostly fought between the respective 23m lines with neither side doing much penetration beyond, with WA still clearly the better side. Nonetheless, Victoria received a short corner for a minor stick offence. But their shot at goal was run down by Colin Sanders. 

The last quarter on the otherhand was a tide turner, as suddenly the Victorian side found something in their tank while we the WA side faltered. It was a constant defensive battle by Western Australia and we conceded a number of penalty corners. Regrettably, following a scrimmage near the goal mouth the Victorians gained the goal they were after. But we Western Australians strengthened our resolve and held to the end. 

Result: WA 2 – VIC 1 

Goal scorers: Peter Gason (WA) 2; Ian Wright (Vic) 1 
Best player as voted by the opposition:Les Waldon 
Cards: Yellow - nil. Green - David Lester (WA)

WA vs WAC - Friday, September 27, 2013 

WA played WA Country at the break of day in the Olympic Hockey Park Friday 27 Sept 2013 with the game being adequately summed-up as 'bloody frustrating'. There was by and large one team attacking - WA, and one team stoically defending although on occasions breaking out of their line and causing anxiety but not panic. In this circumstance it required WA to try and pull off superior ball and stick control near the circle. But, and I guess because 'sparrow fart' time might be Ok for farmers but its not a good time for city folk, WA's control close in on goals was not what it should have been and frankly just wasn't to be found. WA did receive 4 short corners but the execution was far from perfect. The upshot was that at half time the game was zero - zero. And, without similar frustrating comment by yon scribe, that's how the 2nd quarter was played with the same annoying outcome. Stuff it, particularly as one of the WA half backs received a very hard knock and had to leave the field, and another had his stick broken.! 

-The third quarter was different in that the game was more open but still dominated by WA's attacking initiatives, and Country's robust defence flooding their own goal area. 
It did look like WA would score at any time but to no avail even though we received a further 3 corners with close misses from straight hits. 
At three quarter time the zero- zero score line remained. 

Captain Peter Gason, usually a man of rational thoughts, words and logical actions berated the troops during the break and indeed burst into expletives of a challenging kind. 
He dared (maybe threatened) the team to play the last quarter as if it were to be their last of the tournament. That worked! 
Finally after 12 minutes doing everything we could in the Country defensive area with numerous goal mouth scrimages, one ball powered at 1 knot by Paul Robinson slipped under the Country's goalie's left foot and at the goal-line and was gently pushed over it by Neil Patterson. We had got the goal we needed. 
The last five minutes was played out again frustratingly, but we had won - a goal at last. 


Result: WA 1 – WAC 0 

Goal scorers: Neil Patterson/Paul Robinson take your pick? 
Best player as voted by opposition: Paul Robinson 

WA vs NSW - Saturday, September 28, 2013 

This was a good game played under the midday sun on a hot windy day, with pace and finesse which for 70 year old players was trying but the players from both teams lived up to the challenge making an entertaining contest. At the start NSW made an initial dash toward the WA goal but were easily seen off by Ian Hill as right fullback which changed the thrust of the game with WA moving to dominate the first quarter. 
The WA team coordinated well both forwards and backs and our game plan looked promising. For our forward thrusts we received 3 short corner penalties but we were unable to put the ball in the net. The quarter ended with no score, but we felt confident. 

<however, like="" many="" things="" there="" is="" the="" 'turning'="" when="" an="" unexpected="" circumstance="" changes="" likely="" direction.="" nsw,="" early="" in="" second="" quarter="" had="" a="" thrust="" at="" wa="" defensive="" circle="" and="" was="" awarded="" penalty="" corner.="" their="" hard="" hit="" goal="" fortuately="" run="" down="" corner="" saved.="" <br="">But shortly thereafter, with the game altering to NSW's favour, they received a contentious decision within the WA defensive corner, a decision that was far from clear cut - OH if only there had been vision from which to challenge the umpire's ruling. 
This time NSW Vice-Captain Col Whittaker made no mistake with his hit on our goal and NSW was one-up. The game then progressed to being dominated by NSW, a distinctively different game from the first quarter. Again NSW received a penalty corner decision to their advantage and within a matter of minutes NSW had its second goal with another thumping hit from Col. 

Half time saw the WA team looking at the prospect of defeat which is a situation we don't face lightly. We took the game back more under our control with useful forwarded moves by Ron Venables and Neil Patterson and ably helped by Ash Foster at left wing - not bad for an 81 year old! 
The full backs Peter Murray and Ian Hill were also solid and fed the ball back smoothly to the forwards. 
Unfortunately no scoring opportunities opened up and the third quarter finished as it had started - 2 to NSW. 

The third quarter was similar with occasional thrusting probes from both sides during much of the 17 minutes of play but with no change to the scoreline. 

The fourth quarter was different again. At the 11 minute mark a well worked run by WA's Ron Venables on the right and a flurry of activity by the other WA forwards resulted in a penalty corner. 
This was our first corner since the first quarter so we had to make the best of it. The hit out by Stan Salaazar was good but Peter Gason in trying to move the ball across to the right for Ron Venables to hit sliced the ball which was fortunately deflected by a NSW player into the path of Colin Sanders on the left. 
His slightly knee high hit went straight to the top of the backboard on the goalies right. 
It was a quick action, were the ball ricocheted with pace off the top of the backboard rearing into the net behind. 
The controlling umpire only saw the net sway and decided that the hit was a lofted first strike, and disallowed the goal. 
The WA team protested as one, and the second umpire came forward to give his view that the goal should stand. Which it did. 
The game continued at a pace with further WA thrusts and useful defensive work by NSW. They also showed potential in the last few minutes. But the game finished with no further score. 

Result: WA 1 – NSW 2 

Goal scorers: Col Whittaker (NSW) 2; Colin Sanders (WA) 1. 
Best player as voted by opposition: Peter Murray 
Cards: Yellow – nil. Green – Paul Robinson (WA).

WA vs QLD - Monday, September 30, 2013 

This was the second encounter with Queensland 70s for this tournament: the first game notable for the heavy blocking tactics of both teams, and the second by Queensland's inability to prevent continual forward thrusts from the WA forwards. 
The game opened with an early move By QLD toward the WA 23m line which was easily seen off, and was followed by a counter move by WA along our right wing with the ball being shifted swiftly into our attacking circle by fleet-footed Ron Venables. A sharp stop, twist to the left by Stan Salazaar and a gentle flick saw him easily goal. All wthin 2 minutes of the start. 
Within another 5 minutes a rather similar manouvre resulted in another goal. 
By quarter time WA was 2 up, travelling well and there was little sign of the Queensland players being able to do much about it. 

The second half of the game was further dominated by WA with 2 more goals being added to our total, one being a home goal off a Queensland defender, and the other a push from left inner Paul Robinson. 
Three quarter time saw WA with a commanding 4 zip lead and looking fully in control of the game. 
We took the opportunity to rest some players but our dominance remained. However, fortunes can change in an instant and with our full backs playing high supporting the forwards a wayward ball zipped into our defensive circle, and was misplayed = Queensland corner! 
The hit at goal by Queensland captain and 1968 Australian Olympic silver medalist John McBryde - was hard hit and lofted to the left of WA goalie (and coach) Barry Rutter who gloved the ball sending it mid-height into our goal. 
We contested the umpires' decision to allow the goal as it appeared to be a lifted first hit, but the decision stood with the umpire exclaiming that the ball was propelled high off the goal keeper. That's not the way we saw it, nonetheless. 

Oh well the scoreline was still 4-1 to WA. We battled on to finish the game with more forward strikes and our own penalty corner but with no further addition to the scoreline. 

Result: WA 4 – QLD 1 

Goal scorers: Stan Salazaar 2; Paul Robinson 1;'home goal'. John McBryde (QLD) 1 
Best player as voted by Opposition: Stan Salazaar 

WA vs VIC - Wednesday, October 2, 2013 

This was a gutsy affair from WA as within 2 minutes of the start we showed ascendancy. Like the game we played against Queensland on Monday 23 September, the WA players quickly gelled with early effective forward thrusts on the Victorian defence both from the left and right attacking flanks. Within 8 minutes a 'team goal' resulted from excellent interplay between the running Ron Venables on the right passing the ball off to Stan Salazaar who jigged around a Victorian or two and who in turn passed the ball further left to Neil Patterson in the open circle with only the goal keeper to beat, which was easily accomplished. 
The first quarter finished with WA 1 goal up and in command of the game. 

The second quarter reflected the concentration and running style of the WA players. Peter Gason was fully in control of the centre of the field, and was ably assisted on the left by Peter Willett who was working hard to hold Victoria's most capable player - Peter Cramer-Roberts. After 10 minutes of back and forth play WA eventually moved the ball confidently from the left through Peter Murray to right following a good back line intercept by Ian Hill who had shifted the ball to the right via WA newcomer to the rear Bob Bowyer and who in turn had passed the ball to the left-side. This cross field work had the Victorian's looking very flat-footed. The ball then flowed smoothly forward and was pushed back to the centre where Peter Gason at the top of the circle had no trouble belting it passed a hapless victorian goalkeeper. 
At half time the score was WA 2, Vic 0 

The third quarter was much the same although clearly all players were tiring. And as a reflection of the first quarter a right-side charge through Col Sanders, Ron Venables and Stan Salazaar saw the ball headed straight across the Victorian goal mouth, where an open Paul Robinson pushed it in. WA now had a goal for each quarter. The final passage of play for the day was quiet with tired players from both sides endeavouring to hold the ball when the got it, and to keep out of trouble. This led to slow movement both from Victoria and WA up and down the field. No addition was made to the goal score. 

Final score : WA 3 - Victoria 0 
Goal scorers: Neil Patterson; Peter Gason; Paul Robinson 
Best player voted by the opposition: Colin Sanders 
Best player for Victoria: Peter Cramer-Roberts

Semi-Final WA vs VIC - Friday, October 4, 2013 

It was a revitalised and determined Victorian side Western Australia took on at Olympic Park this Friday morning. While WA was clearly the better side in our first two engagements at the tournament, we couldn't keep up that tempo. The state of affairs which had Victoria as the 3rd team in the round robin and maybe a lesser combination than WA's (2nd in the rounds), proved not to be the case. 

Today the Vic's goaled within the first minute due to attention deficit by us. Following that surprise the WA players were able to rebound and indeed well enough to gain a penalty corner. The shot at goal by Peter Gason was ruthlessly and truly hit and by quarter time the score line was 1 all. From then on for the next 2 quarters the game flowed back and forth with an indication that a draw would result mainly because 3 likely goals to WA all went astray. A draw was all Western Australia needed to proceed to the grand final tomorrow. But circumstances in this game do turn surprisingly, especially through missed goals - clear open opportunities by us. 

The fourth quarter saw a period of right side attack (ie our left) by Victoria's David Sinclair who moved around and around the outer circle near the baseline somehow bewildering or bewitching our defence. Eventually a push along the backline, some murky miss traps by the WA group resulted in the ball falling free in front of out defence goal, and was pushed in. We were stuffed - no more to say. WA did have a flourish of opportunities into the Victorian defensive circle over the last 2 minutes of the game but nothing came of it. We were out of the grand final beaten by a more determined and skilful Victoria on the day. 

Final score: WA 1 - Victoria 2 
Goal scorers: Peter Gason 1; Team Victoria 2