Huge comeback by Saints
SAINTS have hit the top of the Cairns Hockey A-grade men’s ladder but their coach Adam Catalano has put the acid on his team to improve. After a solid 5-1 win against Souths on Saturday and a talk before a catch-up match against the same opponents on Sunday about not being complacent, Saints were down 3-1 before a halftime spray. They eventually pulled it back for a 4-3 win over a muchimproved young Souths side, leaving Catalano with mixed emotions.
SAINTS have launched to the top of the Cairns Hockey Agrade men’s ladder but coach Adam Catalano says it will be short-lived if they repeat their worst half of the season so far.
After a solid 5-1 win against Souths on Saturday and a talk before a catch-up match against the same opponents on Sunday about not being complacent, Saints were down 3-1 before a halftime spray.
They eventually pulled it back for a 4-3 win over a much- improved young Souths side, leaving Catalano with mixed emotions.
“I think Souths came out with a lot more intensity, especially in the first half, and we were off the ball and probably were a little bit complacent, which we spoke about before the game, but doing it on a Sunday it was a bit different,” he said.
“But we had a good chat at half-time and came out a lot better.
“It was probably the first time I’ve had to have a real crack at them, but I was impressed how we turned it around.
“That first half was probably the worst half we’ve played this year, a bit sluggish.
“It’s a big game this week against Stingers.
“They knocked us off a couple of weeks ago, so we’ve got to make sure we put in a better showing next week.”
Souths skipper Josh Fowler said that it was a frustrating but also a promising effort, helped by the return of some experienced players in Gary Tippet and Deyonte Fraser.
“We’re building every week and just getting our links and combinations between us,” Fowler said.
“That first half we played really well, stick to stick and covered the field really well, had the talk going, then we just ran out of legs in the end.”
Brothers turned heads with a win and draw against Stingers in their two matches in a sign of the closeness of the competition.
Souths jumped Saints on the A-grade women’s ladder, also with a draw and one win over their nearest rivals.
Souths’ Caitlyn Reichardt paid tribute to Caitlyn Whipp and Heather Morris for leading the charge as Saints piled on the pressure and warned there was better to come.
“We’re really working together and I think the young girls are really stepping up and helping us old girls out but we’re definitely jelling as a team, which is good,” she said.
Brothers turned the tables on Stingers with a 3-0 win on Saturday, being the only two clubs who had already played their rescheduled Round 1 fixtures.
IT WAS PROBABLY THE FIRST TIME I’VE HAD TO HAVE A REAL CRACK AT THEM, BUT I WAS IMPRESSED HOW WE TURNED IT AROUND
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