A mid-week tussle at the State Netball Hockey Centre has seen Altona’s Premier League Women take down a spirited Powerhouse/St. Kilda side 4-1. Altona got off to a flying start with Anisha Kidd taking advantage of a short corner breakdown to give the A’s an early lead, however, Powerhouse gained the ascendancy for the next period of the game as they looked to claim an equaliser and kept the ball in their half for an extended period, being repelled by some great defensive work from Mairaed Crawford and Caity Campbell. It took an incredible ball from Tash Sutton on the left hand sideline to pick out Danni Schubach alone at the top of the circle for Altona to give themselves some breathing space. Schubach trapped with just the keeper to beat and calmly slotted the ball into the bottom left corner.
Mairaed Crawford & Madi Ratcliffe, photo credit to HV and sportsonline.net.au.
The score remained 2-0 going into the half-time break, and Powerhouse came out in the second half determined to make an even contest. It didn’t take them long to pull one goal back with a drag flick firing into the bottom right corner and the goal served to spark the game yet again as the tempo lifted from both sides. One particular run from Powerhouse forward Madi Ratcliffe ended with the ball bobbling dangerously across the front of the Altona net, and it was followed shortly after by a run from Danni Schubach resulting in the ball going inches wide of both Phoebe Rothfield and the Powerhouse left post.
Despite the see-sawing contest, the score remained 2-1 until Jess Brennan was able to put the result beyond doubt. A counter-attack from Crawford and Bronte Kerley, found Brennan running into the circle, who was able to turn to her backstick and smash a tomahawk emphatically past the Powerhouse keeper. From this point on Altona were able to maintain possession and put Powerhouse under immense pressure, having a goal controversially disallowed for not being inside the circle, followed by a scramble that resulted in Missy Johnson having the ball saved from the goal line. Finally the pressure was too much for the Powerhouse defence and Brennan was able to add to her tally for the night as she again turned to her backstick and this time slotted it past the keeper to take the score to 4-1.
It was a great performance by the A’s for their first win of the year, with contributions from all over the park. Kelsey Fox found some great space and demonstrated some silky skills in a new role up forward, Tash Sutton, Caity Campbell and Scarlett Kennedy all defended well and outletted exceptionally from the back, while Bronte Kerley and Missy Johnson controlled the middle of the ground. The best players for the game were Mairaed Crawford who did not miss a tackle all night, and continually set-up forward pushes, Danielle Schubach and Jess Brennan.
The Altona Premier League Men’s mid-week clash with Powerhouse/St. Kilda was postponed due to Hockey Victoria coaching commitments.