WA Over 40's - 2009 Match Reports

WA vs NSW - Friday, October 2, 2009

The first match against NSW was always going to be a tough one. We started out strongly and despite a few nerves and were making numerous attacking runs into NSW territory. 
TG and Vixster combined well to work the ball out of defence and our inners worked tirelessly to combine with the halves and forwards. 
We worked a few penalty corners and and were unlucky not to score. 
A fairly evenly matched first half saw us go to the break at 0-0. 

In the second half, both teams built some great attacking plays only to be turned over by the strong defence. 
A clever pass by Shazam found Sammy leading into the spot, but her deflection just skimmed over the top of the goals. 
NSW fought back and won a PC in the last couple of minutes of the play which they scored off. 
A determined WA side tried desperately to create a scoring opportunity in the dying seconds, but were denied retribution by the NSW defence. 

A well played game with everyone showing great determination and heart. We'll get 'em next time we play! 

Result: WA 0 - NSW 1 

Goal scorers:  
Best player as nominated by WA: Coach Tall Fee found it too hard to single out any one player as she felt everyone played so well. 
Best player as nominated by NSW: 

Other results: 
Vic beat SA 3-0 
Tas beat QLD 1-0 

WA vs TAS - Saturday, October 3, 2009

Our trip to Salamanca Markets early in the morning obviously assisted in our preparation for this match. We took the field determined and confident we could take on what looked to be a strong Tassie team. 
Tassie came out hard in the first half, but our defence was rock solid. 
Wee Fee was put to the test a few times but she passed with flying colours and kept a clean box. 
Play was seesawing from end to end with both teams working the ball out wide and switching play effectively. 
Despite going to the break at 0-0, we felt we had a slight upper hand. 

A strong start in the second half saw Tassie scrambling to defend and some great leading and smart play from our forwards gave us a number of PCs. 
Quinty's insertion went straight to Henny and her straight shot bounced over the outstretched arm of the Tassie keeper. Yay! 

Tassie were fired up by this and tried desperately to create attacking opportunities for themselves, but our tight defence kept them disappointed. 
We held them out for the final 10 minutes of the game and went off to our ice baths very happy after our first win. 

Result: WA 1 - TAS 0 

Goal scorers: Helen "Henny" Guinness (PC)  
Best player as nominated by the Tech Bench: Helen Rankin Jarvie  

Other results: 
NSW beat Vic 1-0 
QLD drew with SA 2-2

WA vs VIC - Sunday, October 4, 2009

Feeling fresh and buoyed by our victory over Tassie, we took the field against the Victorians. 
We were playing very confidently and had the Vics on the backfoot from the start. 
Ten minutes before half time saw an attacking PC variation struck by TG make it into the back of the net..... but after an umpire conference, the goal was disallowed as it had deflected in off Sammy's muscular bicep. 
We were awarded another PC but were unable to capitalise on it.  
We had sustained periods of attack in the first half but it was 0-0 at half time. 

The second half saw a change in tactics by the Vics and they managed to break through our defensive lines on more than one occasion. 
'Ned' Kellie Grant was having a blinder and seemed to be everywhere in defense and attack. 
We were making some breaks out wide and Sammy, Michelle, Lou and Shazam were all leading well. 
However, we were unable to finish off in attack and ended up conceding a goal after a series of questionable umpiring decisions. 

Another disappointing result but nothing we can't fix in the cross over finals. The competition seems to be very evenly matched this year and we think our best is yet to come. 

Rest day tomorrow - bring on lunch at Peppermint Bay! 

Result: WA 0 - VIC 1

WA vs QLD - Tuesday, October 6, 2009

We started out full of promise and enthusiasm, but today was not our day. 
And then it hailed on us...... but enough about our game, now for the weather report..... 

Result: WA 0 - QLD 1 

Best on ground (voted by QLD): Vicki 'Vixter' Harris

WA vs SA - Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Talk about total turnaround.... because today was certainly our day. 
For the first time this tournament we clicked and played really well together as a team. 
Maybe it was something to do with Tall Fee's pre-match talk about how we should ENJOY the game....or maybe it was Ducky's warm up where we remembered to 'shut the gate' before the horse bolted. 

Our first goal came at the 4 minute mark when 'Ned' Kellie Grant at right inner passed off to Wendy "Quinty' Quint at left wing who then cracked a beauty from just outside the circle that saw Sammy 'Junior' Rankin at right wing get her belly wet for a brilliant (some would say speccy) diving goal. Nice switching girls! 
SA tried to break back quickly but a lovely diving save from Wee Fee proved that it's not only forwards who are prepared to get their bellies wet. 
We had so much attack and so many opportunities in the first half it was hard to believe we were still only up 1-0 at half time. 

Come the second half and we were keen to try and make the most of our opportunities. The whole team was on fire - precision passing, switching the play, stealth tackles - obviously firing on all cylinders! The support from the grandstand was inspirational and we were peppering the SA goalie with shot after shot. 
We finally broke through for our second goal off a short corner. The insertion from Quinty went straight to Theresa 'TG' Leonard but her direct shot was saved. 
The rebound made it back to the top of the circle and Helen 'Jarvs' Rankin Jarvie popped in a bouncer that the SA goalie also managed to get a boot on, but Quinty made no mistake about putting the ball into the back of the net and we all breathed a sigh of relief. No more 1-0 score lines! 
We continued to play strongly and share the ball around until the final siren sounded and then we toddled off happily to the change rooms. Ice baths feel so much warmer when you win! 

The results of all the other matches meant we were 4th after the round matches and so we will play NSW on Friday (1 v 4) for a chance at getting into the GF. Go the black and gold! 

Result: WA 2 - SA 0 

Goal scorers: Sammy Rankin, Quinty

Classification SemiFinal WA (4th) vs NSW (1st) - Friday, October 9, 2009

What a match this was destined to be…. After our disappointing 0-1 loss to NSW in the dying seconds of the first game of the tournament, we were determined to make amends. 

NSW came out hard from the start and we were put under pressure for most of the first half. Our defence withstood the attacking onslaughts time and again and tried to link up with the midfield. As requested by coach Tall Fee, we played urgent, but not panicked hockey and eventually began to find our forwards. Some great interceptions by our inners and halves resulted in some quick breakaway attacking plays creating some excitement for our crowd of supporters. Shortly before half time Sammy ‘Junior’ Rankin took a quick autoplay from the right wing and ran the ball into the circle where her precision pass found Lou ‘Skip’ Keeffe free as a bird. Skip’s shot was agonisingly close, bouncing out off the post and crossing in front of goal. No one there to tap it in on this occasion though…Bugger…. Missed that one! 

We regrouped and pressed hard. Ducky was switching the play well again and tried to find the gaps in the NSW defence, but half time saw us locked at 0-0. 

The second half saw flashy striker Princess Shazam playing a bit closer to the backs and halves which created better linkages. Shazam’s strong stick work eliminated the NSW midfield on numerous occasions and she was able to work the ball up the field and find our wings and inners much more successfully. Her skill and experience payed off when she worked the ball into the circle and won a PC. Ducky predicted a goal off this one in our huddle and she was right. The ball out from ‘Ned’ Kellie Grant was hard, fast and straight, the trap by Jarv’s rolled in nicely and TG finished off the sequence with a bullet into the bottom right hand corner of the backboard – what a great sound. Unfortunately our celebrations were cut short as the umpire decided the ball had not passed wholely outside the circle and disallowed the goal. We were adamant it had and that the goal should stand, but as we were not umpiring, our opinion didn’t really count in this instance. 

NSW hit back straight away with another strong counter attack but Wee Fee marshalled her defence well and her ability to read the play ensured she kept a clean box for the rest of the match. Our build ups into attack were becoming more frequent and effective and the whole team could smell an upset. NSW were starting to panic and the underhand tricks began coming out. Kelli Reilly couldn’t believe it when her opposite number grabbed hold of her stick to prevent her playing the ball…. And poor Skip had to leave the field with a bloodied nose after a rough tackle from NSW. 

Just as we were really finding our form, the siren sounded for the end of the match. End result: WA (0) drew with NSW (0). 

Technically we didn’t draw, we just ran out of time as we would’ve gotten another one in sooner or later. For us that meant we didn’t make it in to the GF as NSW finished higher on the table after the round matches. Special mention must go to Kelli Reilly, who did an exceptional job marking out the NSW playmaker, No. 6, and to Snuffy and Jarvs for their breathtaking saves on our defensive goal line. According to Tall Fee, the whole team “played awesome”. 

So tomorrow, on the last day of the championships, we will be playing off for 3rd and 4th against the Victorians in a repeat of last year’s performance. We beat them then and we’ll do it again this year….. watch this space. 

From Helen Rankin Jarvie (not Ritzy!) 

Result: WA 0 – NSW 0

Playoff for 3rd/4th - WA vs VIC - Saturday, October 10, 2009

We were keen to end the tournament on a win but it wasn’t to be. 
All the running and effort we put into our gutsy draw against NSW took its toll and it showed in the match against the Vics. 
Henny had to sit on the bench with a calf injury and even though everyone else put in 100% effort, it wasn’t enough. 
We lost the match 4-0 after some speccy (some would say impressive) goals by the Vics – 2 in each half. 
Our defence was under the pump for most of the match as the Vics attacked in waves. 
Marg Boultbee had a strong game at right half and Lou ‘Skip’ Keeffe was making some great runs down the left wing but we struggled to get decent shots on goal. 
We still managed to keep working the ball up in attack right up to the final siren and earned a PC shortly before full time. 
This gave TG the opportunity to score against her friends from Victoria. 
The shot was a cracker and it found the leg of the fullback on the right post- which the umpire saw - so we got a stroke! 
TG decided against taking it so Shazam stepped up to the mark, but a diving save from the Victorian goalkeeper kept us scoreless. 
Not quite the result we were hoping for after the great form we showed against NSW, but a good tournament overall. 

Final score: WA 0 - Vic 4 
Final placing: 4th 

Result of GF: Tas (4) beat NSW (1) 

Congrats to ‘Ned’ Kellie Grant, Theresa ‘TG’ Leonard (also named in the leadership group) and Helen ‘Jarvs’ Rankin Jarvie on making the Aussie 40s team to play in the Trans Tasman tournament against New Zealand in Newcastle, May 2010. Congrats also to Vicki ‘Vixster’ Harris and our goalie Fiona ‘Wee Fee’ Althaus who were named as shadow players for the team – here’s hoping someone pulls out and they get the call up as well.