CHAMPS STRIKE
Defending grand finalists shine in A1 opening round
HOCKEY: As the Toowoomba Hockey A1 season started at Clyde Park, two familiar faces in the women’s scene came out firing.
Last year’s top two teams had an electrifying start the A1 women’s season, with both Past High and Rangeville picking up wins.
The reigning premier Hawks had to come back from an early setback to down Red Lion 4-2.
Emma Henare struck in the fifth minute to give Red Lion the lead, before a Holly Gilbard goal and a pair of Kacie Trost penalty corners gave Past High a 3-1 advantage.
Henare’s second helped set up a grandstand finish with eight minutes to play, however Trost’s hat-trick ended any hopes of a draw.
Rangeville played from the front and never looked like surrendering the lead, racing away to a 5-0 defeat of Newtown.
Tannah Hood struck twice in the first quarter, and brought up her hat-trick inside three quarters in a strong showing from the 2019 A1 premiers. Rangeville coach Elke Swain said it was a strong start from her squad, who were left shorthanded.
“We had seven of our registered players out, but I do think the Club Glenvale Challenge has helped to prepare
younger players who hadn’t played A-grade,” Swain said.
“We were able to call them up and they felt confident. Our oldies did what they had to do at the back and our young ones finished well.
“Tannah Hood definitely stepped up again this week, but we had a good range from defence, mids and strikers.
“Everyone performed well which helped with the rest of the game.”
Rangeville’s strikepower was on show early as they had their opponents chasing early, however Swain knows they'll need to perfect their four quarter efforts.
“When you get in front early it becomes a tough battle for the opposition (to come back),” she said.
“We’ve played Newtown enough times to know they come back in the fourth quarter.
“We played a good three quarters but our fourth wasn’t our best. We need to remember to keep the foot on the pedal and no thinking we’ve won the game until it’s finished.”
NEWTOWN TAKES CHARGE, PAST HIGH HOLDS RED LION
Newtown takes up the early ascendancy at the top of the ladder, courtesy of a 4-2 defeat of Rangeville.
The Tigers were strong out of the gates, with Jarod Luke and Josh McPaul finding the back of the net inside 10 minutes.
Luke’s second and third goals in the second quarter helped push the lead to four at the main break, a lead that Rangeville would prove unable to run down.
Karl Harland and Jack Hill scored for Rangeville to keep things tight at the end.
Red Lion and Past High played out a thrilling 4-all draw to start the season.
Teams barely had time to settle into the contest before Josh Bidgood got Red Lion on the board inside two minutes.
The Hawks recovered, with Greg Dean helping to tie things at halftime, and Riley Williams putting them in front shortly after the break.
A frantic period saw three goals in five minutes as the teams entered the final quarter locked at 3-all.
Matt Eastwell gave Past High another lead with 10 minutes to play, before Bidgood’s second in the dying stages salvaged a draw.