Katherine van Woerkom . . . knee injury. PHOTO/FILE
HOCKEY
CHRIS COGDALE
[email protected]
Coach Michael O’Connor isn’t doing handstands despite his Dalefield women’s hockey team moving into the top three in the Wellington Premiership with a 5-0 win over Toa on Saturday.
O’Connor was anticipating a niggly game and that’s what his team got from the team who sit bottom of the table without a win.
After a scoreless first quarter, Monique Edwards managed to beat the defence for the opening goal in the second quarter.
Michael O’Connor doubled the lead in the third quarter, and Libby Noumea, Rosie Rooderkirk and Chloe Fredericksen added goals in the final quarter to gain the bonus point victory.
Coach O’Connor was happy to bag the points but said it wasn’t the greatest game by his team.
“We’ve definitely got a lot to work on.
“Our passing and receiving wasn’t good at all. We made a lot of mistakes, there was some poor decision-making, and it was probably our worst performance of the year.
“In the end, it was our fitness and ability that got us up for the win.”
O’Connor is rueing the niggly nature of the game with a nasty injury set to take one of their best players, Katherine van Woerkom out of Saturday’s vital clash with championship leaders Hutt United.
The inspirational captain suffered a sickening injury when she appeared to be deliberately smashed across the knee by a hockey stick.
“It split the skin across her knee cap; it was a really deep cut and it needed stitching,” O’Connor said.
“It’s unlikely she’ll be walking much this week, so she’ll probably be out for Hutt game at least.”
O’Connor said his daughter, Michael, stepped up and controlled the midfield well after van Woerkom’s exit. He also singled out Rooderkirk as the team’s player of the day.
