High-flying Magpies claim season double over Saints
Written by Isaac McIntyre
Originally published in the Hunter Women’s Chronicle
The Magpies have claimed the season double over former league leaders Maitland, battling through the Saints’ tough defence and blustery winds to clinch a 4.2-26 to 2.6-18 victory at Don Small Oval on Saturday afternoon. It was another narrow margin that sealed Wyong Lakes’ win against the early-season favourites. The southern squad, who now draw level with the four-team glut in third place thanks to their 9-3 record, defeated the Saints 28-17 last time out.
Aleece Williams kicked off the eight point win at Wolseley Avenue after Alexandra Pearce hooked a ball right into the danger area. Williams made no mistake setting the Magpies off the mark, earning her side a six-point advantage in just the 2nd minute. Sarah Burns struck back for the travelling side with an 11th minute major to give the Saints a 7-6 lead. Pearce got over the line herself moments later to reclaim the advantage for Wyong. The home side took a 13-7 lead into the first quarter break.
Goals for Laura Raymond and Williams in the third quarter all but sealed the deal for the Magpies. Ashlee Fennell slotted a second late in the fourth for the Saints, but “rock solid” defence from Sarah Ball, Emily Bohan, and Holly Gibbons kept Wyong’s noses in front long enough to secure the table-hopping victory for the home team. “It was a really good game, we always matchup so well with Maitland,” Wyong coach Josh Lawler said of the eight-point win. “It was a tough contest but we just seem to have the better of them at the moment and hopefully we can take that into finals.”
Wyong’s win over the Saints gives them an opening once more to bid for a top-two spot come season’s end, and claim an all-important first week finals bye. Lawler believes with their run home compared to Maitland’s, it’s certainly possible. “I think we’d let it slip when we lost to Terrigal last week, but knocking off Maitland and knowing they still have to face Killarney Vale in the last round gives us hope, we just have to keep doing what we’re doing and putting scores on the board,” he said. “It all comes down to our attitude at training whether we can do it, if we’re all on the same page and the girls play to our structures like we did against Maitland and Newcastle there’s no reason we can’t finish off the season with four wins in a row.”
The Magpies weren’t the only team to claim a lofty upset in Round 13. Terrigal Avoca moved back into the four-way tie for third place with a 7-3 win over Newcastle City at Hylton Moore Oval. Kirstie Hutton’s 15th minute goal was all that separated the two rivals, with the Blues only able to come up with three off-target shots for their three points. The Panthers spiced their six-point advantage with a behind late on in the third, as high winds wreaked havoc in the southern fixture on Saturday.
Killarney Vale nearly fell prey to another upset in Round 13, holding off a fast-starting Warners Bay to win 9.7-61 to 3.5-23. After the Bulldogs struck early at Feighan Oval, the Bombers were able to bounce back to a 23-15 half-time score. The league leaders, now clear at the top with their 11-1 record, clinched the win by 38 points.
Cardiff rounded out the leading top six with a 7.13-55 to 1.3-9 win over Muswellbrook at Pasterfield Sports Complex thanks to a hat-trick from rookie Hayley Wright, while Lake Macquarie evened out their record to 6-6 with a 59-21 win over the Swans.
Finally, Nelson Bay continued their march up the ladder with a 60-point win over Port Stephens at Ferodale Park, while The Entrance Bateau Bay fell to Singleton 24-1 at the Bateau Bay Sports Facility. Gosford had the Round 13 bye.
STANDINGS: Killarney Vale (91%), Maitland (83%), Wyong Lakes, Newcastle City, Cardiff, Terrigal Avoca (75%), Singleton, Lake Macquarie (50%), Warners Bay (41%), Nelson Bay (36%), Wallsend-West Newcastle (30%), Port Stephens (25%), Gosford (18%), The Entrance Bateau Bay (8%), Muswellbrook (0%).
