Milestone … Matthew Higgins chalked up 250 State League One games on Saturday. 64837 Picture: EMILY LANE
MATTHEW Higgins’ 250th State League One match wasn’t celebrated in ideal fashion after Altona went down 3-4 to Greensborough at Plenty Park on Saturday.
Altona started strongly and it was the Australian Hockey League veteran Higgins who led the way, controlling the defence with Chris Coleman and providing the midfield with multiple attacking opportunities.
Midfielders Tyson Priddle, Steve Campbell and Daniel O’Loughlin were linking together well, setting up strikers Jesse Gatt and Matthew Guest with many scoring opportunities.
Greensborough saved a corner but gave away a penalty stroke. Chris Coleman comprehensively beat the keeper to slot the first goal. A second followed shortly after, again through Coleman, via a successful penalty corner conversion.
Greensborough managed to peg one back from a penalty corner on half time. The second half was in stark contrast to the first. The control evident in the first half was now demonstrated by Greensborough. The Altona defence stood strong for most of the first 10 minutes, but couldn’t hold back Greensborough’s wave after wave of attack. An equaliser, through a penalty corner, soon followed.
Altona kept pushing forward, and Gatt, Michael Gallo and Guest were probing, but not able to convert. A Greensborough field goal wrong-footed keeper Ben Oborn to give the home side a 3-2 lead.
Altona’s heads dropped, and Greensborough was suddenly on top. The Seagulls defence was under the pump, with another corner awarded to the Burra boys and the ball sailing into the net for a two-goal lead.
A fantastic combination of passing and leading from Jake Macvean in defence, Campbell in the midfield to Gatt up front, who slotted a fantastic goal, saw the A’s peg one back, but they ran out of time.
“While the boys were good in patches, they did drop the intensity in the second half for a bit, and a side like Greensborough is always going to make you pay, co-coach Greg Drake said.
Higgins commended his team-mates’ effort in his milestone game.
Altona return to Grant Reserve to take on Hawthorn at 2pm on Saturday.
The Womens State League One side went down 2-0 to Greensborough on Saturday. While the young side was gallant in defeat, they lacked the scoring avenues offered by Tegan Purser and Danielle Schubach. Both players were unavailable due to Australian Hockey League commitments.
