By RICHARD PHILIP
CASUARINA have stamped themselves as the team to watch in the Tweed Women’s Hockey final series with a 5-2 win over neighbours Kingscliff at Barrie Smith Hockey Field, Murwillumbah, at the weekend.
This was the only game in the women’s competition this week, a catch-up game deferred during the year.
Kingscliff came out fired up and scored first catching Casuarina off guard, but Casuarina’s constant pressure allowed them to score at regular intervals throughout the match thanks to precise ball passing and teamwork.
Kingscliff’s cause was not helped when player Nikki Harrison was knocked out in play. Thanks to officials Carl Johnston and David Alcorn for assisting to get her in the ambulance. She was released from hospital later that night.
Nikki’s loss left Kingscliff without reserves for the last 25 minutes. They suffered a further blow when Tiffany Hazel went down with a leg injury. However she continued to play as Kingscliff showed great spirit against the might of Casuarina.
Last Friday night in the Harcourt’s Hockey League for men, there were two very tight games.
The Waratah Bobcats and Central Comets played out a solid 1-1 draw.
The Comets were coming off a shocker last week, but after a mid-week talk, they showed a vast improvement as they took on the might of Waratahs led by their best player Tim Willis. Tim, who got engaged through the week, was looking for a good game to cap off a big.
The Comets had to endure numerous short corners and Waratah attacking raids in the first half to keep their net clean with goal keeper Shaun Wedd back to his best allowing the team to stay in the game at 0-0 at the break.
Ten minutes into the second half, the Comets’ hard work was rewarded after Micheal Campbell set up for Luke McMahon to score. But you can never feel safe against Waratahs, and with 11 minutes remaining a short corner hit from full back Josh Alcorn gave the Burringbar/Mooball team the equaliser.
The following game between the East Coast Sharks and Kingscliff Stingers saw a 2-0 win to the Stingers.
However it could have easily have been a win to the Sharks except for some absolutely brilliant goal keeping from Kingscliff’s Sam Laskoski who somehow made numous saves to keep his net clean. Some fast attack from Hiro Namu and Morris Aromalo put Kingscliff under constant pressure but a fast break-away from Kingscliff’s Henry Prichard saw them score against the run of play to go to the break 1-0 up.
The second half was almost a carbon copy of the first with Sam stopping shots on goal and then Kingscliff scoring against the run of play late in the game to secure the points.
Next weekend, games will see the men on Friday night in the Harcourt’s Hockey League at Murwillumbah on the international artificial turf following the under-16 boys. At 7pm Central Comets play the East Coast Sharks and at 8.25pm Waratahs Bobcats play Kingscliff Stingers . The women play on Saturday with Casuarina taking on Murwillumbah 2.10pm and at 3.25pm it’s Kingscliff Sirens playing Waratahs Falcons.
