WA Over 70's - 2012 Match Reports

WA vs QLD - Monday, October 1, 2012

Under new coach Barry Rutter WA opened the championship campaign with a good 2-0 win. 

Venables scored with a solo approach and crafted the goal in the second quarter. This was followed in the third quarter by a Salazzar deflection off a driving ball from the 25m by Hill. 

The player group executed the game with a pleasing even overall effort with good trapping and efficient passing - the only disappointment being a low conversion of shots on goal. 
Well lead by captain Peter Gason. 
Next game against the old rivals WA Country. 

Result: WA 2 – QLD 0 

Goal scorers: Venables, Salazzar 
Best player as voted by WA: 
Best player as voted by opposition: 
Cards: Yellow – nil. Green – nil.

WA vs WAC - Tuesday, October 2, 2012 

With some conviction WA Country [WAC] opened with some vigor in an attempt to unsettle the WA game structure. 
WA repelled some good attack in the first quarter and began to build the short pass attack. 
Late in the first quarter Harler picked up a mis-trap on the edge of the circle and drove in the first goal. 
Salazzar scored in the second quarter in a goal front scrum. 

At the pregame meeting some emphasis was made on wingers in attack positioning themselves on the goal posts. 
Williamson executed with two goals from two periods playing from left and right wings. 

WA continued to increase intensity nullifying any attack from WAC giving a 4-0 win. 
A good effort from all team members. 

Result: WA 4 – WAC 0 

Goal scorers: Harler, Salazzar, Williamson (2)

WA vs NSW - Friday, October 5, 2012 

A good contested 1-0 win against NSW. 
Gason drove the only goal of the match off a short corner early in the second quarter. 
WA pressed well in the first two quarters but as in the first two matches did not convert scoring opportunities in the circle. 
The win was a good team effort with all members putting in a strong performance. 

With three wins WA tops the table and with a win against Victoria in game 4 a top of table position should be assured. 
NSW would appear to be the team to beat in the finals. 

Next game against VIC's on Saturday. 

Result: WA 1 – NSW 0 

Goal scorers: Peter Gason 
Best player as voted by NSW: Ian Hill 

WA vs VIC - Saturday, October 6, 2012 

A very pleasurable 4-1 win against the old foe the VIC's. 

The first quarter was a 0-0 arm wrestle with both sides striving to take control. 
In the second quarter in a brilliant tactical move the ancient warrior Brian Stewart as left wing slipped along the back line and executed a shot which was deflected in by a VIC defender - the big problem with age is that he did not realise he had scored until told in the shower room after the game. Well done Brian. 
Gason followed with his usual finesse scoring with a strong short corner shot. 

In the third quarter Harler deflected a good centre from Williamson for the third goal. 
Not to be outdone the younger brother Max Stewart scored the fourth with a well executed short corner drive. 

A well co-ordinated team effort with the VIC's not allowed to settle at any time in the game. 
Well coached by Barry Rutter. 

Next game against QLD on Monday. 

Result: WA 4 – VIC 1 

Goal scorers: Brian Stewart, Peter Gason, Graham Harler, Max Stewart 
Best player as voted by VIC: Colin Sanders 
Cards: Yellow – nil. Green – nil.

WA vs QLD - Monday, October 8, 2012 

A good 5-0 win against the QLD. 
Apart from a slow first five minutes in the first quarter, WA controlled the game with good trapping and accurate passing. 
Gason opened the scoring early in the first quarter with a driving ball off a short corner. 
Late in the first quarter Brian Stewart proving his selection at left wing crafted a good deflected goal. 

Opening the second quarter Salazzar scored with a strong shot from the top of the "D". 
In the third quarter Harler forced a goal over the goalie in a goal front melee. 
Willianson then followed with the fifth goal deflection. 

The game was played in a very positive manner not allowing any goal scoring opportunities to QLD. 

Next game against WAC on Thursday. 

Result: WA 5 – QLD 0 

Goal scorers: Peter Gason, Brian Stewart, Stan Salazaar, Graham Harler, Bill Williamson 
Best player as voted by QLD: Paul Robinson 

WA vs WAC - Wednesday, October 10, 2012 

In the first quarter on the front foot with good short passing WA took the initiative scoring three goals - Gason off a short corner drive, Watt scored one on one with the goalie and Robinson with a flick along the back line. 

In the second quarter the pace dropped away with Sanders scoring from a Gason short corner layoff. 
WAC scored their only goal off a short corner in this quarter. 

The third quarter became an arm wrestle with no goals scored. 

Venables opened the fourth quarter with a sweep and goal from a solo approach from the left wing. 

A satisfactory win and a good spread of goal scorers.  

Next game _ semi-final Thursday against WAC. 

Result: WA 5 – WAC 1 

Goal scorers: Gason, Watt, Robinson, Sanders, Venables 
Best player as voted by WAC: Ian Hill 
Cards: Yellow – nil. Green – nil.

Semi-Final WA vs WAC - Thursday, October 11, 2012 

From the opening of the first quarter WAC played a close man to man marking defensive game hoping for a breakaway to one forward playing high. 
WA found it difficult to break into the overcrowded defensive circle. 
In the last minute of the first quarter Harler scored the only goal of the match off a rebound from the goalies pads. 

WA as a team whilst attacking continually trapped and executed with good passing throughout the remaining three quarters. 
Five penalty corners were awarded but WA were unable to achieve goal conversions. 
A dogged but not so memorable game. 

Next game Grand final on Saturday against NSW. 

Result: WA 1 – WAC 0 

Goal scorers: Harler

Final WA vs NSW - Saturday, October 13, 2012 

WA won the final 1-0 against NSW. 
As in the past the game was contested by two evenly matched teams. 

The first two quarters consisted of an end to end quick moving ball with both sides trapping and passing with some precision. 

WA were awarded five penalty corners_ NSW nil. As a result of a tight NSW defence WA was unable to score from the penalty corners. 

Midway through the third quarter Harler scored from a well centred ball from the right wing by Ken Watt. 

WA had more opportunities in the circle but were unable to convert. 
WA's defence repelled with confidence to secure the shield. 
A very good team effort and well coached by Barry Rutter. 

Gason, Harler, Hill & Venables have been selected in the Australian Grand Masters team to tour Japan & Korea next year. 

Result: WA 1 – NSW 0 

Goal scorers: