They say lightning doesn’t strike twice, but Zig Zag men’s team must have felt pretty unlucky to be ousted once again by Bathurst Souths in an elimination round of the Hockey Premier League.
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Last year at Bob Roach Field it was at a heartbreaking preliminary final shoot-out that Souths scraped in over Zig Zag, this year a confluence of injuries and representative duties left Zig Zag fighting for numbers on the field and on the board, eventually conceding a 6-3 loss at the minor semi-final.
“Under the circumstances we played fairly well,” Zig Zag coach Mark Sheppeard said.
“We had seven players out due to injuries and blokes away at rep duties as well. Then we had some coming back from being injured after not playing for eight weeks.”
“I’m very happy with the way the boys went considering the circumstances. They’ve all played fairly well, trained hard and they’ve done really well.”
Coach Sheppeard said that while he had not planned for it the 2017 season allowed younger club players to have a taste of the league, especially defensive players in the reserves.
“We had a squad of 18 players and then Joe Radburn broke his finger, and Ben Kelly broke his hand. At the trials we beat St Pat’s 5-1, to give you and indication of the team at the start of the competition,” he said.
The team’s goalkeeper Luke Thurtell was also away in Europe for the season.
“It’s a hard position to replace. But we blooded some of the younger fellows and it’s good to keep everything nice and strong there.
“It was very difficult but I just hope we stay together and do it all again next year.”
Despite being down on numbers the Souths commended Zig Zag’s performance.
“They were a very different team to what they were last week, they had a lot more structure and a lot more purpose in what they were doing,” coach Winwood-Smith said.
“It lived up to what an elimination semi-final should be.”
It was Souths who opened scoring after just three minutes, slotting home from the top of the circle for Souths from a penalty corner play.
But Zig Zag hit back to make it all square in the 11th minute when Eli Shirt intercepted a loose defensive pass.
Souths’ Nick McEwan found a quick reply and when Jono Baillie scored from his first touch of the game soon after, Souths was 3-2 up.
The goals continued to come from Souths making it 5-2 at the break.
The second stanza saw Souths push further ahead as McEwan made it a brace for the match.
Zig Zag renewed its offensive pressure and leading to Medcalf’s second but after that there were no further additions to the score.
Souths will meet St Pat’s in the preliminary final.
SOUTHS 6 (Nick McEwan 2, Daniel Carter, Matt Johnston, Nathan Bourke, Jono Baillie) defeated LITHGOW ZIG ZAG 3 (Hunter Medcalf 2, Eli Shirt).
