Past High return to play ahead of a top challenge
HOCKEY: It’s been a while since the Past High women have had a chance to step out onto Clyde Park.
With a bye and the final of the inter-district competition, they have been subjected to a fortnight on the sidelines.
If the rust of time away from the game wasn’t enough, they have to endure the top team in the A1 women’s competition, Rangeville.
Despite all of this, coach Bernie Fox said his side was ready to get back into the swing of things and put it to their opponents.
“It feels like forever since we’ve played,” he said.
“It doesn’t hurt to have a bit of a break, which worked out quite good with school holidays and some players away, but they’re raring to go tonight.
“You can only train for so long without a game, and to come up against the top side is a bigger incentive as well.
“We look forward to it. You want to play the best teams, that’s what it is all about. You only get better playing better teams than you do otherwise.
“I could go out and play Roger Federer in a game of tennis. He wouldn’t learn much from me but I’d certainly learn a lot from him.”
Fox is well aware of the challenge presented by Rangeville, which is coming off a 4-2 loss to Wests in the inter-district competition final.
He said goalkeeper Sarah Steinhardt was an ominous opponent, however backed his side’s ability to put the ball in the net.
“They have an incredibly good goalkeeper who keeps them in the game,” he said. “That makes it a huge hurdle playing against them, but we have a good, solid team all round. Our strikers are quite young, however they are pretty good and fairly strong, and can score goals.
“We have to play really well to beat them, that’s the challenge. There is still a while to go before the finals, so we need to learn from this one. We want to get out there and test ourselves.”
In the A1 men, the Past High men are looking to continue their strong recent form, when they take on third-placed Rangeville.
Tonight’s other fixtures pits the Norths and Newtown men and women against each other.
The Newtown men will be looking to consolidate second spot on the ladder, while their women can remain in outright third with a win.
‘‘ WE LOOK FORWARD TO IT. YOU WANT TO PLAY THE BEST TEAMS, THAT’S WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT.
BERNIE FOX