Margaret River’s women’s hockey team took on Cavaliers on Saturday for their third game of the 2017 season.
Both Margaret River and Cavaliers have had a chance to settle and build some foundations within their new sides which can only provide strength as the season progresses.
On Saturday, Cavaliers came out prepared and hungry for a win from the start, with numbers seemingly outweighing Margaret River’s.
The Margaret River team soon realised they were going to have to run, work hard and maintain pressure if they were to walk away with a win.
The team began to settle mid-way through the first half, and started to show Cavaliers what they were capable of, with quick turn overs, good ball movement and passages of play seeing countless attacks putting pressure on Cavaliers’ defense.
Cavaliers goalkeeper, however, seemed to be forever in the right place, at the right time.
Save after save, she denied Margaret River any chance of getting on the board.
Late in the second half through a quick attack down Margaret River’s right-hand side came a chance for Chloe Altman to deflect a ball in off the post.
Unfortunately, it narrowly missed the mark and scores remained locked at nil-all heading into the break.
During the half time stoppage, the team discussed working on building passages of play and the need for the forwards to get in front of the Cavaliers’ defenders to be first to the ball.
The feeling among the playing group was positive and the players faced the second half, determined to change the score line.
Finally, Margaret River’s first goal came via Janet Smith, after converting a text book deflection into the back of the net off a short corner variation from Helen O’Neil.
This provided Margaret River with some momentum and the fire to do it again.
Do it again they did - a minute later Kate Sayers pounced on a turn-over, sent the ball forward which caught the Cavaliers’ defenders by surprise and converted Margaret River’s second goal.
For the remainder of the game, Margaret River maintained possession and broke down any opportunity Cavaliers had of getting into their attacking half.
The final siren sounded to the relied of both teams, exhausted after a tough fought game.
This win sees Margaret River sitting on top of the ladder as they enter the Easter break.
