Orbost Hockey Club was back in action for round nine of the East Gippsland Hockey Association (EGHA) season last Saturday, playing the Swan Reach Hockey Club at the WORLD facility in Bairnsdale.
The three youngest Green and Gold teams continued their winning ways with a trio of triumphs, all by the comfortable margin of three goals.
The under 10s match was evenly contested with plenty of strong ball play on both sides, but with Sadie Lindfield’s series of big defensive tackles, Neave Songailo’s clever linking play in the middle and Lara Kenny’s pace up front, it was Orbost who grabbed the early advantage when the latter converted an accurate cross from Demi Murray into the goal.
Demi Murray doubled the lead after she was perfectly placed on the post to convert Joe Millward’s run and pass after debutant Coden Volk had fought hard to keep the ball locked into attack.
In the second half the midfield combination of Dallas Redman and Keira Murray became increasingly involved and helped build more momentum for the visitors.
After Alastair Songailo played his part in one collective scoring opportunity, Zoe Griebenow also went close with a shot to cap off an impressive team break, before Millward rounded out the win with a clean strike into the corner of the cage to cap a fine end-to-end counterattack and a 3-0 victory.
The under 12 fixture also saw Orbost get into its attacking groove early and maintain its forward pressure throughout the first half.
Joe Millward pulled three consecutive shots just past the post in the opening minutes, but it was not long before he was able to help his team hit the scoreboard.
He displayed some great work to keep the ball alive, before releasing it into the path of Jaxon Murray, who coolly slotted home his first career goal.
Asha Farley was a constant threat up front throughout and had a pair of solid chances either side of half time well saved.
The midfield efforts of Ella Coles and Belle Healey also played an important part in rebounding the ball into dangerous areas.
After the interval Geoffrey Florance’s effective sweeping and Savannah Lindfield’s defensive interceptions ensured there was no way back into the match for Swan Reach, allowing the Green and Gold to pull away to victory with a pair of second half strikes, firstly from Cohen Mathews who converted a strong move started by Asha Farley’s dispossession of her opponent.
Finally, Joe Millward forced the ball goal wards with a determined second effort to finalise the score in Orbost’s favour 3-0.
The Orbost under 14s secured the third three-goal win of the day courtesy of a fluent team performance that was able to answer all the questions Swan Reach asked of it across the ground.
Jasper Anderson played the role of tormentor-in-chief for the host’s defence with five fine goals that saw him use a clever blend of power and poise to defeat the home keeper, but he certainly benefitted from a strong supporting cast.
Geoffrey Florance’s deft passing, Keira Irvine’s hard running through the centre and Joe Millward’s pressure work were all significant factors.
Kitty Millward was able to stamp her authority on the contest in an impressive performance, while Peter Florance’s tackling under pressure, Cohen Mathews composed clearances and a pair of booted saves by goalie Jaxon Murray all played their part in keeping their opponents to just a single goal scored late in each half.
The Green and Gold winners 5-2.
Taking on the ladder leading Swan Reach in the under 16s on their own turf was always going to be a challenge for Orbost’s youngsters and it was certainly one they took on to the best of their abilities despite the scoreboard not ending in their favour.
On another day Ava Martin could have scored a hat-trick of goals via her strong pressure on the post only for a series of desperation saves to deny her, while both Kitty Millward and Keira Irvine also saw their close-range efforts cleared after they got themselves on to the end of their teammates’ crosses.
Mitch Farley’s pace and power converted plenty of Green and Gold defensive clearances into attack, and he was well supported by Campbell Edlington’s midfield strength and the determination shown by siblings Aster and Jasper Anderson, all of whom gave their all to try and work their way through a tough Swan Reach defensive unit.
Goalie Jack Scott employed both his boots and his body to good effect in the visitors’ goal and received strong support in front of him thanks to Leni Millward’s series of swept clearances, but ultimately this proved to be a day when the sheer volume of their opponents’ attacks proved to be decisive, Swan Reach 7-0 winners.
The under 18s encounter was likewise one in which the final result did not do justice to the effort and intensity that Orbost showed against a tough opponent on the road, including the number of close moments that saw them denied in front of goal.
Mitch Farley in particular peppered the Swan Reach goal keeper with shots that required an ever increasingly complexity of saves to prevent him from scoring, while the attacking drive of Joe Mathews and Chloe Findley created clear opportunities for both themselves and Jasper Anderson, this was a day though when Green and Gold shots sailed wide of the post or just out of reach of the stick that would have diverted the ball into the cage.
In defence goalie Sarah Gladstone was in brilliant form for the visitors, including pulling off an amazing deflection of a goal-bound shot with her stick, while a big block of a corner blast by Dom Preston and a goal-line clearance from Mia Martin also played important roles in allowing the visitors to stay in contention.
Eventually the difference in the match proved to be Swan Reach’s ability to score from a corner move or counterattack once in each quarter, but there was certainly no disgrace in defeat from an Orbost perspective, going down 4-0.
The final women’s match of the day was, as it usually is between these two local rivals, a hotly-contested affair that the hosts were able to steadily pull away in from a determined Orbost outfit.
Defensive leader Sarah McDonald successfully made three controlled clearances to safety of aerial balls that seemed destined to enter the cage before she intervened, while the tackling and playmaking of Kerryn Volk and Misty Anderson helped to end many of the hosts threats and propel the ball forward with interest.
The midfield endeavour of Steph Buckland and Jaime Haas played a positive role in creating Green and Gold attacks, with the teenage trio of Aster Anderson, Ellie Florance and Leni Millward showing plenty of pace and skill to manoeuvre the ball.
Swan Reach ran out impressive 5-0 winners.
The EGHA will now take a two-week midwinter break with Orbost not back in action until Saturday, July 19, when it welcomes local rivals Mitchell River to the Orbost Recreation Reserve.
