Dalefield player of the match Kelsey Linton on the ball. PHOTO/JADE CVETKOV
By Gary Caffell
Dalefield turned on the firepower in beating arch rivals Victoria University by a comfortable 5-1 in their Wellington premier division women’s hockey match played at Clareville on Saturday.
In what was expected to be a close battle Dalefield always looked the better side with nothing impressing more than their ability to build attacks from deep inside their own territory.
“We have been working on a variety of ways in which we can break away up opposition defences and things seem to be progressing pretty well,” Dalefield coach Michael O’Connor said.
Player of the day for Dalefield was Kelsey Linton and others to have strong games included the coach’s daughter with the same name, Michael O’Connor, Brigette Mossman and Katherine van Woerkom.
Linton (2) and Van Woerkom were amongst the goal scorers as were Jenna Anderson and Katie McAnulty.
The Dalefield men’s team also played Victoria University in a Wellington premier division match at Clareville and they too won comfortably at 6-2.
Coach Willie Schaefer was pleased with the control shown by his side for the first three quarters, at the end of which they led 6-0, but disappointed they had let in two goals in the fourth quarter and missed picking up a bonus point as a consequence.
“We played a lot of good hockey but we slackened off in that last quarter and that’s not the sort of finish you want,” he said.
Joseph Robertson came off the bench to play in midfield for Dalefield and had a considerable influence there and Jackson Kibblewhite impressed on defence.
