Orbost Hockey Club was back in action for round seven of the East Gippsland Hockey Association last Saturday when it hosted
Sale at the Orbost Recreation Reserve, with the three youngest Green and Gold teams all extending their encouraging campaigns by securing victories in which they kept their opponents’ goalless.
The under 10s team began the day on a wintry morning on a very dewy pitch and were quickly into the attack with both Lara Kenny and Demi Murray causing plenty of angst up front for the Sale defence.
Both saw a pair of shots cleared off the line in the first half, while Sadie Lindfield’s decisive open field tackling and a strong defensive clearance from Frida Songailo helped to minimise the danger at the opposite end of the ground.
With Zoe Griebenow’s endeavour in the centre and Alastair Songailo applying some attacking pressure in front of the visitors’ goal, the opening score finally arrived when Izzy Palmer slotted home her career-first strike after her team’s initial shot was saved.
Orbost was in no mood to let up its attacks in the second half as its passes began to connect and the team breakaways from midfield became increasingly dangerous, as Joe Millward snapped up a hat-trick of goals, two of which saw him perfectly placed to convert Neave Songailo passes before adding a strike from distance, with Lara Kenny deservedly recording her team’s fifth after receiving some strong support from Keira Murray.
Orbost was outstanding in its 5-0 demolition.
The under 12 fixture also saw the Orbost’s forward line get into the action early with the trio of Geoffrey Florance, Joe Millward and Asha Farley all seeing plenty of the ball on their sticks in dangerous areas.
After Joe Millward went close to scoring twice, the opening goal came when Asha Farley’s persistence in front of the cage enabled her to force the ball past the goalkeeper’s reach, before a strong burst and effective shot from Cohen Mathews doubled the Green and Gold lead.
Sale was certainly not without chances of its own, but a big defensive intervention
from Savannah Lindfield, a reflex save from goalie Jaxon Murray and a pair of crucial tackles inside their own “D” by Sophie Scott and Harry Greenwood respectively all served to keep them at bay.
With the hosts racking up a series of corners in the second half, more goals appeared likely and it was Joe Millward who stepped up to the plate, firstly finishing off a move involving both Ella Coles and Asha Farley, followed by delivering a sweet strike through the heart of the defence to round out the big 4-0 win.
Orbost’s under 14 team has been in fine form so far this season, but it was made to work hard for its victory on this occasion due to a combination of a dogged Sale defence and the heavy playing conditions caused by a week of rain.
In what turned out to be a goalless first half, Jasper Anderson went close to scoring with a trio of shots, while Joe Millward drew a pair of saves from the goalkeeper, and both Belle Healey and Lily Crofts fell just short of converting powerful crosses on the back post.
Eventually the first Green and Gold score came after a rampaging run and shot from Jasper Anderson, with a crucial diversion around his own post by Cohen Mathews moments later preventing the visitors’
immediate equaliser.
Both Kitty Millward and Alex Kenny worked tirelessly to end Sale attacks and to propel the ball forward, allowing Orbost chances to keep coming as Geoffrey Florance’s running and passing created plenty of challenges for the away side.
Keira Irvine drew a pair of saves from point blank range and after just missing the target on a couple of occasions, Jasper Anderson drilled home the match-clinching goal from the top of the “D” in the closing stages, ensuring a 2-0 victory to Orbost.
The subsequent under 16s contest turned out to be the match of the day, one in which the tension steadily built as the two sides adapted to the slow pitch conditions, leading to a grandstand finish and the ultimate sharing of the competition points.
The first half saw multiple chances at both ends saved as both goalies were in fine form, ably supported by Mia Martin’s tackling tenacity, Jack Scott made a series of vital interventions for Orbost with his big boots, while each of Ava Martin, Kitty Millward, Campbell Edlington and Keira Irvine saw their own goal-bound shots saved by Sale.
After the main break the Green and Gold produced a brilliant piece of team interplay when a full field counterattack generated by Mitch Farley and driven forward by Chloe Findley was finished off by a deft scoring touch from Jasper Anderson.
The visitors were able to equalise and then edge themselves in front before Jasper Anderson levelled the proceedings again with a clever dribble and shot from a tight angle.
Despite more saves from Scott and crucial clearances from Leni Millward, Sale was back in front 3-2 with just moments to go in the frantic contest, forcing Orbost to throw everything at them in one last desperation attack.
The resulting goal-mouth scramble ended with a penalty stroke being awarded to the hosts and under enormous pressure it was Mitch Farley who stood up for his team when it counted, slotting home the dramatic equalising goal, as the sides walked off 3-3.
The under 18s was also a real arm-wrestle between two competitive sides who battled hard throughout.
Goalie Sarah Gladstone was in inspirational form between the pipes for Orbost, pulling off a series of agile saves while defenders Leni Millward and Mia Martin swept away many threatening balls from inside their own “D”.
Shots from Joe Mathews, Campbell Edlington and Aster Anderson were the home side’s best chances to score in the first half, while a clever flick from Mitch Farley and a pair of “almost” back post conversions from Chloe Findley and Viola Spevackova represented their most promising attacking endeavours in the second.
Despite the resilience of their defence and the industry of Ellie Florance and Jack Scott in rebounding the ball up the field, Sale’s greater experience eventually allowed them to score a trio of goals to secure the win and all four of the available competition points.
The final match of the day saw Orbost’s women’s team face the daunting task of taking on the unbeaten ladder leaders, one which they responded to with real promise despite the final margin in the contest (6-1).
Unfortunately a slow start and a tired finish allowed the visitors to score a pair of goals in each, but in the three quarters of action in between the Green and Gold managed to score the first goal that Sale have conceded since opening round and hold their opponents to just two strikes of their own.
With teenagers Ellie Florance and Leni Millward in fine form on the backline, Chloe Findley and Misty Anderson providing plenty of run and rebound through the middle, and Alena Walmsley and Aster Anderson keeping the pressure on up front, Orbost certainly
took the game right up to the visitors for an extended period.
Bree Kenny’s powerful shooting and precise crossing caused plenty of nervous moments for the Sale backline, and after Jaime Haas had a double-effort of her own saved, Casey Findley was on hand to force home the hosts’ goal with a persistent piece of poaching work on the far post.
Orbost Hockey Club will be back in action last Saturday when they travel to the Gippsland Regional Sporting Complex in Sale to take on their opponents from Maffra.
