Sharks nearly pull off an upset to end long season on a high

GEELONG closed its Vic League 1 men’s hockey season with a 3-2 loss on Saturday, but not before handing out a huge scare to Premier League-bound Yarra Valley.

Yarra Valley players had their tails up early after grabbing a 2-0 lead in just seven minutes — the second from a penalty stroke — but the feisty visitors were having none of it and pushed them all the way.

Geelong tightened up its defence, led by captain Mark Jackson, Luke Hatton and goalkeeper Cam Montgomery and started to gain the ascendancy through the midfield and in attack and kept the scoreline at 2-0 by halftime.

The Sharks got the ball rolling when Greg Hutchison nailed their first goal in the 45th minute to pull the score back to 2-1 and were unlucky to fall 3-1 down when Yarra Valley scored against the run of play on 52 minutes.

Despite stretching the gap to two goals once more, the home team was still under pressure as Geelong dominated possession, finally rewarded when Zane Davie took on and beat the keeper in the 67th minute.

Unfortunately for Geelong, Yarra Valley was able to steady in the final four minutes and avoid the upset.

Sharks coach Scott Walters was delighted with the effort.

“It was great to finish like that,” he said. “They’re second in the league, it’s good, especially the second half. I think we won that half easily.

“It certainly goes to show our potential. It was a good note to finish on and hopefully build on next year.”

Walters is uncertain whether he will reapply for the coaching role which, at his urging, has already been adver- tised. He stepped in at the start of the year after an exodus of nine star players and has helped set the foundations of a solid rebuild.

“We’ve got a lot of younger guys who have got a lot to offer,’’ he said. “It’s going to help the ones maybe stepping back, as long as we can keep them around the club.”

Walters is keen to see a coach for 2017 in place well before Christmas to get systems in place for the year ahead.

“It needs to be appointed as early as possible so whoever takes it on can sort themselves this side of Christmas and maybe have some pre-season beforehand,’’ he said.

Geelong’s Vic League 1 women lost 4-0 to Yarra Valley after holding the top-of-the-ladder side to 0-0 at halftime. Yarra Valley broke the ice with a goal at 37 minutes and followed with three more (56th, 59th and 69th minutes) to confirm top spot on the ladder.