John Kinder in action for Footscray. 69232 Picture: KRISTIAN SCOTT
BY MICHAEL ESPOSITO
FOOTSCRAY’S State League Two men’s hockey side will have to win the grand final to get promoted to State League One nest year, and coach David Audesho says he has the side to do it.
Footscray’s tense 4-3 loss to top side Mentone in the last round of the home-and-away season on Saturday consigned the Bulldogs to third place and into a knock-out final against Albury this weekend, but they also proved they can match it with the title favourites.
Mentone has achieved automatic progression to State League One next season for winning the minor premiership, and second-placed Kew just needs to advance to the grand final to be promoted. Footscray however need to win the title to join Mentone in State League One next season.
“We’ve definitely got the personnel to do it. It all boils down to the day,” Audesho said. “The last few weeks the boys have been playing some really good hockey and been a little bit more consistent, so I’m hoping that we’re definitely coming good at the right end.
“We are Bulldogs and we like the fight, so I think we’ll be clawing our way back and hopefully we’ll end up in the final and being promoted,” he said. “If we get into the grand final I reckon we’d be a pretty good bet to be promoted.”
Audesho lamented two draws throughout the season that potentially cost the Bulldogs a top to finish.
One was against Albury in which Footscray was 6-3 up but drew six-all, and the other was a three-all draw against Brunswick, which Audesho believes his team should have won.
“Lapses of concentration and not putting away our opportunities cost us. But that was the early part of the season, now we’re at the business end of the season and the boys are really taking their chances and making good on their goal shooting opportunities.”
Footscray’s 4-1 defeat of Kew in Round 17 was a telling victory, and signalled a side with the intent and ability to go all the way. It’s the ideal season to be promoted, as the league is expanding its State League One competition from 10 to 12 teams in 2013, meaning no side will get demoted at the end of next season.
“If we get promoted, it will give us that one year’s grace which means it gives us a year where our juniors can consolidate playing at that level,” Audesho said.
“We’ve got a huge junior program which is what you really need and the push for the club is to become a State League One side to give our juniors a bit more of a focal point.”
