Stingers off to good start despite rain
YOU know it’s wet when rain spoils hockey but playing paid dividends for Trinity Stingers, who came from behind to snatch a draw with Brothers to start the A-grade women’s season on a high.
Goals to Lisa Fatnowna and Haylee Brodin made for ominous signs as Brothers took a 2-1 lead into the break, but 2017 strugglers Stingers rallied to make a point they will be competitive this season.
Short corners, which netted goals for Michelle Whap and Melissa Fitzsimmons, were pivotal to the comeback and team manager Brian Dowling said it was a much-needed boost to be getting on the scoresheet.
The draw was the first points for Trinity Stingers’ Agrade women in an opening A-GRADE WOMEN Brothers 2 (Lisa Fatnowna, Haylee Brodin goals) drew Stingers 2 (Michelle Whap, Melissa Fitzsimmons goals) Souths v Saints postponed A-GRADE MEN Brothers v Stingers postponed Souths v Saints postponed
Cairns Hockey hopes to reschedule the postponed matches to Sunday, April 22 round match in four seasons.
Dowling said the return of Jess Watson as captain added much needed experience to a young squad.
“Jessica just provides a bit more run and a bit more attacking threat in her role,” he said.
“But certainly it is a young team that’s played together a lot now. All the young ones in there play S1 as well and they had a good win on Friday night and I think that boosted their confidence.”
The potential for imports from India and Pakistan could yet add to the attack in the next month.
The remaining women’s match and both men’s matches were unable to go ahead due to the wet weather.
After consultation with the clubs, the matches are likely to be replayed in late April.
The weekend weather also played havoc with under-13 representative trials that were scheduled for Sunday.
The trials will now take place tomorrow from 4.30pm on the Reef turf.
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JACOB GRAMS CAIRNS BMX star Shannon Petre has learnt winning pretty is not always an option after surviving a gruelling final to earn back-to-back Australian and Oceania titles.
After tangling handlebars with a rival rider on the first corner then holding on tight as another crashed alongside her on the second, the BMX Australia development rider produced a stirring comeback and a last-corner pass around the outside to cross the line in front.
Petre, who was one of nine Cairns riders at the event, said the final in Bunbury, Western Australia over the weekend was “probably the craziest race I’ve ever had in my life”.
“Just so many things went wrong, I had so much bad luck all through the race, but I just didn’t give up and made it happen in the end,” she said.
“It does make it a lot more special knowing I hard to work a lot harder for it. It was one to remember, definitely.”
Clubmates Ammie De Lai (16 girls) and Audrey Thompson (13 girls) both had third place finishes, while Ronan Weber was recognised for the competing at his 10th consecutive BMX nationals.