KEW Hockey Club

First (and last) final

Kew (3) v Southern (4)

The week leading up to this game was very interesting.  We did some research on Southern in their Round 18 game.  Noted was ‘Tall Jan’ and the ‘speedy playmaker’.  The cursive ‘w’ was the style of play that would suit and Amy’s ‘tagging’ ability was called for.  So…Tuesday’s training was to be all about Southern…until we got to the SHC to find the latest goss. 

Powerhouse had been stripped of 7 games worth of points.  This altered SO MUCH.  Southern went from 3^rd to 1^st( and automatic promotion to SL1), we went from 4^th to 3^rd, MUHC went from 5^th to 4^th and Powerhouse went from 1^st to 5^th.  Holey Moley!!

Our Thursday training session was therefore concentrating on MUHC with a little bit of Southern in the backs of our mind for the following week (very optimistic with us assuming that TEMs would beat them in the first final).  Luckily we did not let Southern’s game plan slip from our attention too much cos at 10.30pm on Friday night, with a wizz bang sports lawyer, Powerhouse won their appeal and the ladder went back to its original format. 

Pheww…that was like an episode of Days of our Lives and Kew were one of the Brady’s and Powerhouse was Stefano Demiro.

So to the game.

A late afternoon game and we all had adequate butterflies.  Enough to make us excited but not too sick.  Some chose to eat, some did not.  Our rotations were out a little.  Phoebe Smith, after playing all 18 games and being our rock solid fullback, tore her hammy at Thursday’s training.  A little bit of a reshuffle and we were ready to play. 

We hit them hard but they somehow managed to get an early soft goal.  It was like watching a slow motion horror film as Southern somehow, against the play, scored again.  The large Kew crowd that gathered did not pay $8 for this.  2-0 at half time. 

9 corners in the first half and none converted.  Something had to go our way…and finally it did through some great field play with Sall Smart on the end to put away the goal.  2-1.  The play continued to be created by us.  Brooke was outstanding with her toughness over the ball and Lisa’s speed made her young opponent look stupid.  Persistence paid off and finally we used a variation on a corner which worked.  Brooke scored from the spot and we were back in the game.  2-2.  We knew we had to win to achieve our goal of promotion to SL1.

We continued to pepper the goalie with shots.  She made saves and we had narrow misses.  Lisa was taken out and a Southern player was given a yellow.  Still a goal eluded us.

Finally, a real team goal, and the coaches request for the centre forward to score a shit goal was a reality.  Kew were in front. 3-2.  Had we managed to come back and win??

As is the Kew way, Southern scored immediately.  3-3

And then they scored again 3-4 to the bad guys.

Only 2 minutes left.  So disappointing.  No score.

Goals: Sall Smart, Brooke Johnson, Ange Allen

Thanks to all the crowd for coming along to the game.  It was great to have so much support.  Good luck to the 1sts, 3rds, 4ths and 6ths men this week in their finals.