It was an outstanding start to the East Gippsland Hockey Association for Orbost, with the club recording four wins from six matches in its season opener against Wellington at the Orbost Recreation Reserve.
The day provided an entertaining and tightly contested suite of fixtures played in perfect conditions in the autumn sunshine.
Most encouragingly of all for the Green and Gold, the new season marked the beginning of multiple junior hockey careers with no less than 12 youngsters pulling on the famous strip for the first time across the under 10 and 12 age groups.
UNDER 10
After conceding an early goal to the visitors, Orbost’s youngest players responded positively when Lara Kenny finished off an end-to-end team move, which saw debutants Izzy Palmer, Evie Crofts and Zoe Griebenow all play important parts.
The natural attacking instincts of first-gamers Grace Reddy and Demi Murray helped to provide assists for Lara Kenny to score twice more in quick succession, while at the opposite end of the ground Joe Millward put in a sterling defensive performance, and along with the debuting Keira Murray was able to keep the Wellington attackers at bay for the rest of the contest.
Neave Songailo was full of drive and determination in midfield, and was able to involve her siblings Frida and Alastair (both first gamers) in the play as Orbost progressed towards a confident 3-1 opening day victory.
UNDER 12
With this year’s competition played on a full field it provided the youngsters an excellent opportunity to showcase their skills on this larger stage.
With debutants Belle Healey, Ella Coles and Ahna Reddy all getting involved in the action early, the home side showed plenty of
attacking flair from the sticks of Geoffrey Florance and Cohen Mathews, while Sophie Scott made a crucial stop in defence to prevent a goal.
Wellington edged out to a two-goal lead, but an important clearance from Isobel Lawless led to a quick team counterattack featuring Joe Millward, Malky Morrison and ultimately Savannah Lindfield who fired the ball home.
Another fast break forwards moments later saw Asha Farley cleverly convert the equalising score from distance, and although the visitors had their chances late for a winner, the most dangerous of these was ended by first-gamer Harry Greenwood’s intervention at the near post to secure the draw (2-2).
UNDER 14
The match was a wide-open affair which turned into a real goal-fest, one in which Orbost jumped out to an early lead that it was able to maintain throughout, responding with goals each and every time its opponents hit the scoreboard. Jasper Anderson’s power and precision striking provided all eight of the Green and Gold goals
in an extraordinary performance, but this was very much a full team performance with the effective running through the centre by Keira Irvine and Kitty Millward serving to create multiple attacking opportunities.
Both Alex Kenny and Malky Morrison made crucial defensive clearances under pressure to limit Wellington’s second half charge, while it was the bravery and successful saves of Jacob Rutherford (who was making his debut as a goalkeeper) that had played a significant role in allowing his team to take control of the contest in the first term, winning an entertaining match, 8-5.
UNDER 16
Played in the warmest and most humid conditions of the day, conditions provided a test that both sides struggled to overcome in the early stages.
After goalie Jack Scott made a couple of confidence-boosting saves with his boots, Orbost’s running game started to take over the contest, with Jasper Anderson scoring twice in quick succession, firstly converting a clinical pass from his sister Aster, followed by his finishing off of a strong team move started by the impressive Campbell Edlington.
Mitch Farley scored the Green and Gold’s third with a sweet reverse stick strike from a corner, while forwards Kitty Millward and Peter Florance were ever-present threats around the Wellington goal cage.
Despite the visitors’ best efforts to drag themselves back into the contest in the second half, a determined Kitty Millward forced the ball into the goal for Orbost’s fourth score, with Anderson completing the proceedings and securing the big win (5-1) with the goal of the day, an excellent wheeling manoeuvre that saw him wrong-foot the defence before firing the ball home.
UNDER 18
The Orbost line-up contained many of the same youngsters who run out for the under 16s each week, but they rose to this challenge admirably against Wellington, when Joe Mathews made a darting run forward and struck the ball into the corner of the cage for an early lead.
Despite the tenacious tackling of Leni Millward and Ava Martin at the back and a crucial save from point-blank range by goalie Sarah Gladstone, the visitors’ attacking pressure allowed them to hit the scoreboard three times before the half time break.
Orbost hit back after the break, with Mitch Farley’s precision and Dom Preston’s pace working well in tandem together, the attacking opportunities steadily increased, and it was Mathews who scored again after Jack Scott’s great effort in keeping a corner attack alive.
When Jasper Anderson stepped up to slot home an accurate cross, the scores were level, although Wellington was able to edge itself back in front moments later.
The Green and Gold kept on coming though, and were unlucky not to secure a share of the points for themselves when another Mathews to Anderson move unfortunately ended in a disallowed goal.
Wellington held on for a 4-3 win.
WOMEN
The final game of the day saw the two women’s teams in action, a contest that saw the defensive rebounding ability of Lisa Murray at the back, the midfield ball-winning skills of Misty Anderson and the attacking drive of Bree Kenny up front allow Orbost to maintain control of throughout.
Tara Morgan opened the scoring with her career-first goal when she deftly directed the ball home past the keeper, before a storming Kenny made a run and her shot doubled the margin.
With Jaime Haas and Steph Buckland helping to keep the ball locked into attack, Zoe Martin twice found herself perfectly placed inside the “D” to convert saved shots into Green and Gold goals, marking another career-first scoreboard contribution for the afternoon.
Orbost impressively took the points 4-1.
THIS WEEK
Orbost will next be back in action on Saturday when it travels to the Gippsland Regional Sporting Complex to take on Sale in an away fixture.
