DiamondBacks tackle surging Derwent
PLENTY of intrigue surrounds the women’s Premier League hockey match of the round between Derwent and DiamondBacks at 3pm today.
Last year’s runners-up, DiamondBacks have started slowly this year and, after enduring a change in coach, now sit in fifth position.
In contrast, Derwent has built on some promising signs to occupy third position after beating Canterbury 3-2, Uni- versity 4-0 and drawing with the defending champions North-West Graduates 0-0 in its past three outings.
But DiamondBacks have had the wood over the Strikers since 2016, with a 2-1 win in Round 5 this year and 2-1 and 4-1 defeats last year.
DiamondBacks coach Rowan Bridley picked an unchanged side but acknowledged the challenge would be tough, with Derwent picking up English import Sarah Robinson in recent weeks.
“Derwent are on the big improve and they didn’t have the same team last time,” Bridley said. “The players know that it will be a tough game, but it’ll also be good to see where both teams are at because the players know how close the women’s competition is now.”
The mid-season break arrived at a good time for the Maroons to deal with a number of injuries, while the young Strikers side had a strong representation at the junior intrastate tournament.
“In Round 5 defensively we sat too far back and let them come at us and didn’t show enough aggression in the way we defended,” Derwent coach Torin Bester said.
“We have been a far more settled team over the last month and have started to use our strengths to our advantage.”
North-West Graduates will open the round against University at 1.30pm, with Graduates’ star recruit Raeleigh Phillips returning to the squad after being part of the North-West’s second consecutive under-18 intrastate title win.
“Raeleigh is a versatile, skilled defender or midfielder and also Ash Arthur is the back-to-back Premier League leading goal scorer and a real team leader, which shows the level of talent from the North West Coast,” Graduates coach Chris Hazelwood said.
OHA will aim to maintain its place on top of the ladder into a third week with victory over Canterbury at 4.30pm.