When the Orbost and Nagle women’s sides took to the field during round seven of East Gippsland hockey last Saturday at Orbost Recreation Reserve, it was an epic to-and-fro battle.
Both teams were fluent in attack and determined in defence throughout, with Mia Joiner’s creativity and flair at one end of the ground and Sarah McDonald’s efficient clearance work at the other particular highlights in the early stages.
A big save by goalie Alana Farley and a vital intervention at the back by Steph Buckland denied a pair of strong Nagle chances, but eventually the visitors were able to scramble a loose ball home to take the lead.
The Green and Gold hit back in the best way possible when on their next foray forward Alison Farley fired a shot into the goalie’s pads which rebounded to Bree Kenny who emphatically powered it into the back of the cage – the teams therefore headed into half time with the score even.
A strong dribble into a dangerous area by Joiner early in the second term created a chance on the post for new signing Jaime Haas, while a dextrous save by keeper Farley turned away a similarly strong opportunity moments later by the visitors.
With Misty Anderson full of industry and hard-running across the ground, Orbost was able to steadily increase its attacking intensity and was rewarded when Marni Riordan got onto the end of a clever cross from Kerryn Volk to fire home from point-blank range.
A combined Joiner and Anna Florance breakaway almost extended the margin further, but a well-worked counterattack by Nagle at the very end of the third quarter of play saw it score to level things up once more at 2-2.
With the stakes rising with each passing minute, the final quarter was an intense affair where every loose ball was hotly-contested as each side tried to create the next score.
Moments after Farley pulled off a fine diving save, Nagle forced the ball across her goal-line to re-establish its advantage, meaning the only option left for the Green and Gold was to swarm forward into attack.
A bold Joiner run followed by some great determination in the goalmouth created a penalty stroke for Orbost with little over a minute of play remaining, and it was Joiner who stepped up to calmly slot the ball home from the spot, earning her team the draw in dramatic circumstances.
Final score: Orbost 3 dw Nagle 3.
The under 16s and under 18s fixtures saw big wins for Nagle, however was also a display of the efforts and endeavour of the Green and Gold’s youngsters, particularly on a day where they were missing a handful of regular players due to illness or injury.
Sarah Gladstone in the Orbost goal shone brightly for the under 16s with a series of dynamic diving saves, with Ellie Florance also denying a surefire goal with a dramatic stick intervention on her own line.
Dom Preston was full of drive and determination across the ground, while Mitch Farley marked his return to hockey with a gutsy performance that saw him clear the ball effectively at one end of the ground before streaming into attack moments later with a telling pass or cross.
With Max Rutherford and Chloe Findley working tirelessly up front, the home side was able to create a handful of chances, most notably from the stick of the hard-running Aster Anderson, but ultimately this was a day when the competition points were destined to go elsewhere.
Final score: Orbost 0 lt Nagle 7.
With the majority of Orbost’s team then backing up immediately to play the following under 18s match, it was not surprising that it was their opponents who got off to a strong start and opened up an early three-goal lead.
From that point on the contest was a much more even affair with Georgia Anderson leading the charge up front for the Green and Gold and coming close to opening her team’s account on three separate occasions.
Dom Preston in goal used his big boots to clear away to safety a number of dangerous balls while the creativity of Mitch Farley, Chloe Findley and Mia Joiner ensured the hosts were able to create and sustain their own periods of attacking pressure, with Leni Millward coming the closest to hitting the back of the goal cage in the second half when she fired just wide at the end of a great team move.
Final score: Orbost 0 lt Nagle 7.
Orbost Hockey Club will next be back in action on Saturday, June 29, when it travels to face its opponents Wellington at the Gippsland Regional Sports Complex facility in Sale.
IMAGE: Orbost’s Steph Buckland looks for a teammate up field in the tense Women’s draw against Nagle
