WA Over 35's - 2014 Match Reports

WA vs NSW - Saturday, September 27, 2014

Bit of a slow start for WA, pace was as to be expected a little slow everyone getting used to each other and getting rid of those nerves. 
WA had an early chance missed with a stroke being saved by Tweetie the goalie.  
Commo claims he knew what he was going to do as they played against each other in juniors, sounds good anyway. 
Game was fairly even throughout the first half with WA getting a few short corners and starting to penetrate the NSW defence.  
With 5 minutes and 47 seconds left in the first half NSW scored, bugger. 

After half time WA began with more intensity as Russell Lee the coach and Adam Commens captain impressing on the guys what needed to be done to get the outcome we desired.  
Pace was much better in the second half and the game plan was coming together.  
Lucky we had a full compliment to keep those rotations working and fresh legs running.  
With 12.08 left on the clock Griffo (Mark Griffiths) scored WA's first goal.  
Then with 8.17 left on the clock Watto (Grant Watton) scored to give us the lead; this was the final score. 

WA gave Tweetie the NSW goalie best player as he certainly kept them in the game and clearly their best on the day. 
NSW awarded Watto as our best for the day. 

Result: WA 2 – NSW 1 

Goal scorers: Griffo, Watto

WA vs ACT - Sunday, September 28, 2014

Not a good one for WA today. Didn't stick to game plan and looked sometimes a little lost.  
Structures were sometimes not right and the flow of the game didn't always go as planned.  
ACT started well and the first goal for them was on the board at 28.01. 
Watto put our first on the board at 22.30 showing on the clock. 
The game was at a faster pace than yesterday and ACT scored again with the clock showing 20.22. 
Our second Commo put in from a short corner at 18.15 left. <brWith 30 seconds left WA secured a short corner, umpires let the clock wind down and then the corner took place, Russell Lee put it away. 
Half time the score did not look good ACT 5 WA 3.  
In that half our esteemed Player/Coach sat on the bench for a while with a yellow card.!! 

After half time WA started to play our game and were more positive in the game with the flow slowly turning our way. 
Unfortunately ACT were again the first to score with 30.57 on the clock and then converted another stroke at 26.20 left.  
Not looking good but WA didn't let that deter them from continuing to play a better style and look as though we could do this.  
At the 22.30 time Griffo scored our fourth, looking better and playing better.  
With the clock showing 12.31 left Thomo (Rob Thomson) scored our 5th goal. We were playing much better at this stage and tomorrow is another day. 

Result: WA 5 – ACT 7 

Goal scorers: Watto, Commo, Russell Lee, Griffo, Thommo  
Man of the match: 
Cards: Russell Lee (Yellow)

WA vs WAC - Monday, September 29, 2014

On pitch 2 the guys were looking to have a better and stronger game today. WAC proved to be a formidable opponent as was expected. The game flow was fairly even in the first half with both teams missing opportunities to score.  
Took a little time for WA to settle into their style of play.  
Once again Watto put the ball away to score the first goal with 18.25 showing on the clock.  
As it was a little warmer the rotations were being well used. 

Half Time saw everyone soaking up the fluids and just making sure all understood the game plan.  
Needed to spread a little and use the angles and flanks. 
Second half was more of the same with some really good passages of play, particularly going into the forward line. 
Had a number of short corners with multiple near misses, often the goalie picking our direction.  
With the clock showing 18.20 Jayson Eichstadt finally put one away to score his first goal for the tournament. 

The end result was a good win to WA 2-0. Unfortunately Griffo got a Green card. Overall it was a good game played in good spirits between the two teams.  

Result: WA 2 - WAC 0 

Goal scorers: Watto, Eichstadt 
Best WA player as voted by WAC: Russell Lee  
Best WAC player as voted by WA: Steve Sexton 
Cards: Griffo - Green (but they don't count Griffo so 'go for it' - Editor) 

WA vs VIC - Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Well a much warmer day is expected and the fluids and rotations will be more frequent. Unfortunately Russell is on a training day for work and Favil thought the game time was 5.30 pm, consequently two down for this game. 

The game was on from the start, we need to match it with Vic the top side straight away.  
The game not as physical as the previous games and with rotations being mucked up with two down they were changing rapidly today.  
Was a fairly even start with Vic putting the ball away at the 31.50 mark. 
WA rallied playing some great hockey.  
Vic scored again with 8.43 on the clock.  
Half time 2 nil down and the boys went into the rooms to have their chat and put a few things on the whiteboard. 

Second half started fast and furious with some great passages of play, Vics again first to score at 26.50 time showing.  
WA very determined not to let this rattle them and we stuck to the game plan. Good passing spreading the play backing each other up and playing some attacking hockey.  
Commo had his fan base watching and they were loud and clear on what to do.  

Rotations fast and all were soaking up the fluid as it was a bit humid today.  
Watto once again was first to score for WA at the 18.28 mark and the Wests determination started to show.  
At that point WA started to turn the game our way with some great play making and forward thrusts.  
Looking good being in attack we got a stroke at 4.04 which Commo put away.  
WA were in attack when the game finished. 

Result: WA 2 - VIC 3 

Goal scorers: Watto, Commo 
Best VIC player as voted by WA: Jason Mulder 
Best WA player as voted by VIC: Mark Griffiths 

WA vs QLD - Thursday, October 2, 2014

WA decided they had to start from the whistle and go for it today, needed a good win to finish third.  
Only trouble is the first 20 minutes we played very ordinary hockey and not as we planned.  
Qld on the other hand were going all out to register another win.  
The guys were having to defend really well and at one stage all 11 WA players were in the defensive 25. 
Once we started spreading out and playing some hockey it was slowly turning into our game.  
Qld scored first at the 18.36 mark. We needed to pull our socks up and start to be more aggressive.  
With 2.00 minutes left on the clock Watto finally put our first in the back of the net, half time 1 all. 

After a stern chat from Russell and Commo WA went all out in the second half and began playing our style of hockey. 
Rotations working well today with a full bench. 
The goalies shared the duties and both doing well.  
Backline was really putting the pressure on with more attack.  
Once again Qld scored at the 24.26 time and then Watto scored his second to equalise.  
After some good team work and fighting hard in the circle Russell put the third in at 15.21.  
Looking like we had it we were fighting hard for this one, Qld also playing some good hockey which resulted in them scoring a third to again equalising.  
There were some great passages of play and WA spent quite a bit of time in attack in the second half.  
Starting to look like a draw and with only 1.32 left on the clock Griffo displayed some of his magic to slip past a couple and put the ball to left of the goalie and yep WA were 4 - 3 up with that being the final score.  

Much better game today. 

Result: WA 4 - QLD 3 

Goal scorers: Watto (2), Lee, Griffo 
Best QLD player as voted by WA: Scott Whittaker 
Best WA player as voted by QLD: Russell Lee  
Cards: 

Semi-Final 4th vs 1st - WA vs VIC - Friday, October 3, 2014

Today was do or die effort as there is no extra time for semi finals. If draw highest team goes through to grand final and that's where we want to be.  
WA applied the pressure from the start of the game, that was the plan and was working well.  
The Vics not sure how to handle the heat or our style of play. 
We had some short corners and early chances went missing. 
WA applying the pressure all over the field keeping up the pace for the first half.  
Against the flow of play the Vics put a goal in the net with only 2.59 left on the clock.  

Half time WA 1 nil down, bummer. 

The Vics were slow to get on the pitch and we lost a vital minute waiting for the goalie to get ready with the umpire making us wait for them to be ready!!  
Once the second half started WA were still playing a fast aggressive game with our rotations working well and everyone sticking to the game plan.  
There was some really nice team play, obvious the guys really were getting used to each other displaying some terrific moves.  
Some great moves forward and into the circle at the 22.33 minute mark WA awarded a stroke, Commo converted and now 1 all. 

The game was flowing at a reasonable pace and WA seem to have the Vics a little worried.  
It was a good match to watch even if a little nerve wracking.  
With WA moving the ball around and on a short corner Commo went one way then the other and finally back tomma put it away with 9.35 showing. 
Thought we could do it from here but unfortunately the Vics scored with 8.48 left to make it a draw.  
Victoria slowed things down a great deal and we couldn't get that extra goal.  
In those last few minutes we missed a couple of chances. 

Today we were two down with Pilch away coaching and Jayson injured his foot yesterday and unable to take the field today.  

A great effort as the Vics have not lost a game. Well done WA for the whole week. 

Result: WA 2 - VIC 2 

Goal scorers: Commo (2) 
Cards: Green cards to Archer (Lyle) and Russell (thankfully not yellow) <