TAKING on women’s Premier League Hockey heavyweights Bathurst City is never an easy task, let alone doing so with a host of regular starting players absent.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
But on Saturday as a well below full strength Souths did just at Bob Roach Field, they managed to maintain their effort and a positive approach for the entire 70 minutes.
City did dominate possession and attacking chances and were deserved 5-0 winners, but the Souths players were by no means disheartened at full-time.
From the six penalty corner plays Souths faced they only conceded once and even then, the passage of play included a blocked shot by goalkeeper Kate Brown and a strong tackle from Meg Booth.
We go out there and do if for each other and when you do that, it’s amazing what you can pull off.
- Ali Stanford
The two blues managed to have a chance from the set play themselves in the first half – the shot being blocked at the top of the circle – while Sophie Macauley pressured in the final 10 minutes of the game after Georgie Betts made the initial break.
“We played pretty well with the players we had,” Souths captain Ali Stanford said.
“Coming off at half-time and we were only down 2-0, then to get back out there and go down 5-0, I think that just showed we were starting to get a bit tired there at the end, because they are quite a fit team.
“Other than, we come away with a positive feel.
“I think it might be because the pressure is off now, but also because we are all out there for each other from now on. We go out there and do if for each other and when you do that, it’s amazing what you can pull off.
“I was impressed with the team today, especially the four people we had fill in Bec [O’Connor] and Kirsten [Fitzpatrick], Kate [Stanford] and Jaz [Hennessy].”