WA Over 40's - 2006 Match Reports

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WA vs VIC - Thursday, October 5, 2006

Expectations were high for a strong showing from the 40s Black Ducks, which failed to materialise in the first outing of the tournament on Thursday afternoon. 
The 1-2 loss to Victoria was probably a fair result, though we had plenty of chances to press for a win. Keeper Martin Ferrari was under pressure right from the start, making crucial saves and clearances after Victorian strikers managed to get behind the defensive lines. 
Some rhythm came into our play at about the 10-minute mark, with centre half Graham Reid gaining some ascendancy. A brilliant through ball found John Sims at the top of the circle and his skilful deflection did everything but go in, hitting the middle of the cross bar. Sims was working hard at left inner and centre forward and Jonathan Nordmann had plenty of play on the half line, but there was a lack of cohesion in most of the lines. 
Late in the half the ball came out awkwardly on a defensive short corner, the spin deceiving WA, with Victoria sweeping on the ball for a tidy flick and goal. 

The second half started well, with the Black Ducks lifting the tempo. Sims ruthlessly exploited a ball that found him in the left circle. With the goalie staying put, Sims stepped right, measured the shot and planted it in the top left corner. 
At 1-1 we were thinking the momentum was going the right way, but that came to an abrupt halt when a Victorian hit from a free at the right of the circle was allowed to go to the left post for a fairly soft goal. 
Sims shortly afterwards received a yellow for 5m infringements and we were on the back foot again. 
Pleasingly, however, we settled into the tempo we had set ourselves at training, which allowed us to dominate the latter part of the half. Our press was also working well, squeezing the ball into our attacking zone and causing plenty of turnovers. Reid came close with a diving scoop that went past the right post. With about seven minutes of time remaining, Michael Starling received a yellow for dissent and we were again struggling to press the advantage we had built up. 
We threw everything into attack and Sims came close in the dying stages of the match in front of the keeper. The last play of the day was an attacking short corner which we were unable to convert. 

The Black Ducks have plenty of talent and depth and lots of room for improvement, if we can lift the endeavour and increase the discipline. Not the ideal start, but lots to build on as the tournament progresses. With little time for contemplation, the tough NSW outfit facing us on Friday. 

Victoria named Alan Dick as the Black Ducks’ best player.

Result: WA 1 - VIC 2

WA vs NSW - Friday, October 6, 2006

With the feeling we had let one get away in our opening fixture against Victoria, the 40s Black Ducks came out with much greater determination and purpose against their seasoned opponents in game two. 
Our fast start led to an early goal, inside right Alan Dick making room on the right of the circle and slamming home. Unfortunately, as against Victoria, our goal was followed by a quick response from the opposition, suggesting we haven’t developed the mental resolve to press home our advantage at this point. 
But there was no denying the power and poise of NSW, who repeatedly made the locals pay for turnovers, almost inevitably finding a man in space, and threatening the goals. In rapid succession we found ourselves at the receiving end of four goals. 
Captain Blair Pedler and Grant ‘Doc’ Carville were leading from the back, doing their best to ward off repeated pressure. Inside left Stuart Amphlett was working overtime to keep Greg Johnson (Gadget) at bay, but frequent overlaps made marking extra hard. 
In the attacking circle, Chris Ahrens (Sid) came close with an intercept in the circle that had the goalie scrambling to save. Graham Reid (Poss) provided one of the match highlights with a stutter step in the circle from a ball coughed up by the defence, then pushing from behind his back, but the inventive shot went wide. 
It was again up to Alan to give us some semblance of a chance, making a strong trap from the left, taking the goalie to the top of the circle, dragging right, beating a couple of opponents, then drilling the ball in the bottom left corner from an acute angle. Pure class, and it was no surprise he was named best player for the second time by the opposition. 

Down 2-4 at the break, we felt we were in with a chance, particularly if we could get that vital first goal. It wasn’t to be, though more effective shutting down of NSW attacks meant the match was played more at our tempo. 
Michael Starling had plenty of play on the half line, but was often isolated and looking for a close lead. Poss put one in the net that was disallowed and Alan had a great chance for his hat trick in the last minute of play, but was thwarted by a defender on the line. 
It was great to see the team rising to the occasion of a big match, with the realisation of the necessary standard needed for success. It should put us in good stead for the battle with our country cousins on Sunday.

Result: WA 2 - NSW 4

WA vs WAC - Sunday, October 8, 2006

There was a sense of relief, but no great exhilaration, after our 1-0 win over WA Country. The feeling was that the match presented an opportunity to improve our goal difference significantly, which has been heightened by Tasmania’s win over Victoria. We need to find a clearer path into goal and it’s just not there at the moment. That’s not to say there weren’t plenty of chances created. But for the efforts of the Country goalie, Wombat, and his defensive group, we might well have had the five or six in the net that we were looking for. 

Country played the kind of physical game we were expecting, relying on a fast counterattack built on solid defence. Our own defence proved equal to the task, with captain Blair Pedler leading the charge and named man of the match by Country, ably supported by Grant Carville. It was Pedler who eventually found a way into goal in the second half from a solid crack to the keeper’s right from one of several short corner variations used throughout the match. Actually, this variation was more like a straight hit, with Wombat eventually succumbing to the need to second guess the many plays used. 

To their credit, Country kept us honest to the end and we found the discipline to hold our lead. But we know that we’re running out of time to string together passes in concerted, creative plays that make the path to goal more straightforward. If we can achieve that against Tasmania, expect a lot more excitement from the playing group.

Result: WA 1 - WAC 0

WA vs TAS - Monday, October 9, 2006

It was do or die against the Tassie Barbarians and a 3-1 win means the 40s Black Ducks are still afloat. Tasmania had got the jump on us with a surprise win over Victoria, so a loss or draw, with a hot Queensland outfit to come in the last qualifying round, would have made things extremely difficult. 

The performance was again built on a solid defensive effort, with Blair Pedler and Grant Carville ensuring few balls were allowed to penetrate our circle, while Tasmania’s choice for man of the match Michael Starling, Graham Reid, Kevin Dempster and Jonathan Nordmann worked effectively in midfield. 

The difference in this encounter was our ability to create meaningful attacks that capitalised on our defensive effort. Nevertheless, it took the class of Alan Dick to give us the score sheet ascendancy in the last 20 seconds of the half. He pounced on a ball that rebounded from a defender in the circle and adjusted to cleanly strike close to his body. 

We knew we were a better outfit on the day, yet still experienced our characteristic yips after scoring, conceding a short corner goal early in the second half. 
But with WA’s forwards allowing few options out of the Tasmanian defence, pressure started to tell. Greg Pampling put us ahead again, with a reverse squeeze from a short corner rebound that shaved the top left post. (The reporter would risk a fine if he were to suggest it was a pretty good goal, as Pamps is the fine master and doesn’t like players sucking up, so I won’t.) 

Chris Ahrens was rewarded for some aggressive work in the circle for his first goal of the tournament shortly after. 

John Sims, Noel Morrison, Tim Reynolds and Mark Hastings all had reasonable opportunities in the circle in the latter stages of the match. 

An extra goal or two would have provided a welcome goal difference cushion heading into the Queensland match, but everyone breathed a sigh of relief that we had put in the right performance at the right time. No surprise that the drinks in the tent tasted a lot better after this one.

Result: WA 3 - TAS 1

WA vs QLD - Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Although we had a reasonable cushion over Tasmania to secure fourth spot in our last qualifying match, a strong game was vital for us. For a start, we had two ex-Queenslanders in the side, so pride was at stake. Greg Pampling and Graham Reid grew up playing hockey together. Graham went on to fame, though no fortune, playing for Australia, while Pamps left both the fame and fortune to his PGA tour playing (and twice winning) brother, Rod (he’s a very talented fines master, it must be said). 
We also had two wins behind us after losing the first two, so momentum heading into the finals was important. 

With Queensland using a hard running style with plenty of through balls and fast breaks, coach Noel Morrison said the match was all about structure. By sticking to our tasks, we would shut down their lines and deny them the oxygen they need to make their style work. 

We started hard and fast, with Poss Reid clearly pumped for the encounter, and the Maroons looking slightly ragged. Poss found Noel clear at the top left of the circle, who coolly bunted the ball into the right corner – in the first 40 seconds of the game. 
We weren’t expecting our plans to come to fruition quite so quickly, but we also knew that in previous matches we had been most vulnerable just after scoring ourselves. 
But it was a different paddle of Ducks this time. We continued to pepper the goals, with John Sims lively at centre forward and Pamps bringing the best out of the Queensland keeper with a thundering reverse stick shot. 

The visitors started to get the odd break, with captain Blair Pedler forced to make remarkable clutch saves on the line from full blooded shots. Man of the match WA keeper Martin Ferrari was doing everything he could to repel attacks and organise his defenders. 

With three minutes left in the half, Stuart Amphlett decided to make a small but rather obvious tribute to the Socceroos match against Bahrain later in the day, and was duly yellow carded for five minutes. With great purpose, we held the opposition at bay to go into the break with a 1-0 lead. 

Ferrari was forced to make a greater number of saves in the second half, and like a well-oiled machine, he proved equal to the task, getting into excellent position for clearance after clearance. But Queensland’s forward potency eventually told and we were back at 1-1, still with plenty of time to win or capitulate. 

Again we started dominating, getting in front of their forwards and stringing together passes to deny them possession and flow. After a number of short corner attempts, trapper Poss eventually decided it was his turn to have a crack. He found plenty of space and hit the ball with tremendous pace, but it appeared to be hurtling into a distant car park. However, one of his mates from his home state appeared to take pity on him, going to great lengths to deflect the ball into the net. 

We just needed to get through the last three minutes and completed a famous victory against a side looking to top the table. We have a big task against ladder leaders NSW in the semi-finals, but it looks like we’ve broken through, with team work and intensity improving with every encounter. We reckon we’ll be more than competitive.

Result: WA 2 - QLD 1

Semi-final WA vs NSW - Friday, October 13, 2006

Friday the 13th turned out to be Black and Gold Friday for the Over 40 Black Ducks, with a 3-1 win over arch-nemesis NSW taking the team into Saturday’s final against Queensland. 
There don’t seem to be many historical records of wins over the Blues, though there have been plenty of thumpings over the years, so it was an extra sweet victory. The game was played on WA’s terms, with NSW denied easy ball into their forward line. The Blues appeared slightly fatigued, often hanging off in the hope of easy turnovers to restart their own plays. 
Crucially, the first goal was ours, with left wing Chris Ahrens picking up a pinpoint pass from the back line at the 25, penetrating the circle and managing to squeeze a hit past the keeper. 
We dominated the middle part of the half with solid defence and plenty of passing, creating attacking plays, particularly from the right side. Eventually the pressure told, with striker John Sims picking up a loose ball from close range and instinctively flicking into the left corner. At 2-0 with a couple of minutes to play, we looked assured of a handy cushion at half time, but a short corner was conceded and NSW used a clever variation to get one back after the half time siren. 

The Blacks were a bit deflated to have the lead reduced so close to the buzzer, but quickly regrouped. The second half was essentially one in which we continued to deny easy outlets, though NSW threw everything at us and had their share of penalty corners, while we only managed one for the entire game. 
Mark Hastings put the game beyond doubt in the closing minutes, loping down the back line towards the goals from the right, then fooling the keeper by fading inside and making a reverse stick shot look fairly straightforward. 
The importance of that goal was emphasised when NSW again had a short corner on the siren. While we managed to ward them off, the situation would have been much more fraught at 2-1, as NSW only needed to draw to qualify for the grand final. 

With a win in the round robin over Queensland, we know the job required, but realise they will be buoyed by their strong showing over Victoria in the semi-final. 
Four wins on the trot after losing the first two matches of the tournament is a great achievement, but the players realise Saturday represents a massive opportunity to wrest the title on home turf. 
It’s unlikely there will be many surprises in our game plan. We’ve established a solid structure and have made the most of chances. The grand final has all the makings of a top game. 

Result: WA 3 – NSW 1

Final - WA vs QLD - Saturday, October 14, 2006

It is easy to state but hard to accept. We lost. 

We lost 1-2 to a better, more organised and committed Queensland side on the day. 
Those are the facts, but it hardly makes their reality any more palatable. 
Does anything ameliorate the bitter sensation of losing at the last hurdle in front of a home crowd, on a day when four out of five WA sides won titles? 
Let’s see… We started the tournament with two losses. When we crept over the line 1-0 against WAC, where others had given them sound beatings, we hardly looked a grand final side. 
We showed plenty of endeavour to work ourselves into championship contention. There is little doubt we showed character in turning our tournament around. We showed pride in our State and belief in ourselves and each other. 
A tournament is a series of transformations and possibilities. Games ebb and flow, injuries take their toll, form arrives like a snap storm and dries up just as quickly. If you can’t roll with it, hang in there, continue to see glimmers of hope, you are lost. 
It’s a tribute to our group that they understood this deep truth about the trajectory of a sporting contest. 
What was the trajectory of the final game? Queensland started strong and tough, carrying on the form they’d shown in the semi-final against Victoria. Fairly quickly they were cutting through our lines, causing all sorts of problems at the back and destabilising our forward thrust. 
Their constant attacks eventually saw a sharp cross from the right wing intercepted by player of the tournament Ashley Grummitt at the top of the circle, who slammed the ball high into the net. 
After half time we conceded a penalty stroke after another fast break involving Grummitt, who calmly slotted the goal (Martin Ferrari will tell you he wasn’t given time to prepare for the stroke). 
But we were playing more creatively and positively and the ever reliable Alan Dick showed great control and temperament to penetrate the circle and shoot low past the keeper in heavy traffic to reduce the lead with plenty of time for the two goals we needed for the title. 
But we only managed one penalty corner for the half and the match and just couldn’t find another way in after that. 

So, an honour roll, in no particular order. 
To Noel, for professional and passionate coaching. Your preparation and consistent approach gave us the opportunity to succeed. 
To Astrid for the myriad managerial tasks that gave us the chance to concentrate on the job at hand on the field, with the able support of Jimmy. 
To Poss Reid, named by the team as their best player. Having someone of your experience and quality, so willing to share their knowledge, was invaluable for all. 
To Alan Dick, for coming into the side at short notice and finishing runner-up in the count. 
To all those who trialled and pushed for spots in the team. 
To the over 45s for the match practice and setting the standard that took them to the title. 
Captain Blair Pedler for leadership and having a bloody nice boat. 
To Martin Ferrari and Kevin Dempster for making the over 45s Australian side. 
Commiserations to Darran Wilson, denied a start in the tournament by injury. 
Personally, as a junior senior, I would like to thank each and every player for the support and camaraderie throughout, from the very first trial at whatever godforsaken time of the morning we turned up, to the drinks in the tent at the end of the tournament. I’m probably not the only one who learnt more from this experience than I can remember from umpteen years in the game. The example and advice from this outstanding group of individuals will resonate for years to come. 
Speaking of which, next year’s tournament is on the Gold Coast. We lost this one, but surely this result gives us more than a glimmer of hope of taking the title next year. Yep, becoming national champions in Queensland in 2007. We’ll leave on that upbeat note. It’s a little way off, but in the scheme of things for a veteran, only a few games of hockey away.

Result: WA 1 - QLD 2