By RICHARD PHILIP
WITH just four week’s remaining, the Tweed Women’s hockey competition is expected to come right down to the wire with all the teams evenly matched.
The weekend’s round at Barrie Smith Hockey Field, Murwillumbah, proved just how close things are with both games ending in 0-0 draws.
In the first game of the round, Casuarina took on Murwillumbah. Casuarina went on the attack but a scrambling Murwillumbah defence stopped the Coasters from dominating the game or getting clear shots at goal.
Defence is Murwillumbah’s real strength, which makes them so hard to beat – and when you throw in the youth and speed of players like Chloe Saddler, you have a very good hockey team.
The other game was a top of the table clash between Kingscliff and Waratahs, with both teams vying for the minor premiership and needing a win to get a points advantage over their opponents.
Kingscliff played tight defence relying on long hard hits-out to one or two forwards to create their limited chances. This worked with a long ball from Joanne Tunstall to a loosely marked Lorelle Morrissey who scored her team’s only goal.
Then Waratahs went on constant attack, a move that eventually paid off late in the second half with a great back stick shot by Emily Hetherington finding the back of the net and giving the Burringbar side the draw.
With the Lismore competition now finished, the men returned to the Hardcourt Hockey League and nine-a-side hockey on Friday night.
With new rules for short and long corners the nine-a-side section of the competition has made it a real open affair.
Speaking to spectators after the games and they all seem to love it believing it has made for quicker more attacking games.
That was evident in the first game of the night with Kingscliff defeating East Coat Sharks 6-2 in a high-scoring match.
Kingscliff are playing a pure running game and each player is only playing around six minutes at a time so they stay fresh and fast, a move that paid off against the Sharks.
The other men’s match Waratah Bobcats came away 3-1 winners over the central comets, goal scorers for Bobcats were Dean and Todd Standfield and Matt Williams. All the goals were scored in the second half. What makes the win even more impressive is that Bobcats were without star keeper Mitch Paron and inspirational captain Tim Willis.
Bobcats looked to have turned the corner after consecutive losses. Mark Irby is playing like a man possessed.
This week the men play on Friday night again after the under-16 boys with Central Comets facing East Coast Sharks at 7pm followed at 8.30pm by Waratah Bobcats and Kingscliff Stingers. The women play on Saturday with the all Tweed Coast clash between Casuarina and Kingscliff Sirens at 5pm at Murwillumbah and then Waratah Falcons against Murwillumbah straight after.
