- Photo: Ruth Gibson
Lancaster won the push back and it was not long before they achieved the first goal of the match, Davies making the score 1-0 in the women’s 1sts indoor hockey. But the home team upped their game and it was Laura Pepper who scored after 10 mins, evening up the score to 1-1.
The home team quest for victory was aided with brilliant play from Beanie Usher throughout the game. With fantastic saves, blocks, intimidating knocks an stomps, she succeeded in both terrifying and outwitting the opposition.
Twenty minutes into the first half and just before a York short corner, Rachael Faustino called time out and regrouped her team for a pep-talk, and when play resumed, the captain scored immediately. Now 2-1 to York, another short corner was awarded to the home team after Pepper nudged the ball into a Lancaster foot, but the home team couldn’t make the shot. A great attack from Emily Lucas outside the area allowed Faustino her second of the match, and the half finished with 3 goals to York while Lancaster trail with only 1.
But not for long, as Lancaster made it 3-2 then 3-3 in the opening stages of the second half. There were great counter-attacks from Imy Storm, shots by Charlie Bartlett and Frankie Hall, but York just couldn’t break ahead.
There was more fantastic defending from Beanie who threw herself onto the floor as Lancaster fired shot after shot. Reliable defending on the corner from Vaila Ormiston stopped Lancaster from scoring another.
Great play between Faustino and Hall earned another short for the home team, then pressure from Lucas as she dribbled into the D gave York another attacking opportunity. Great work on the edge of the D from Charlie Bartlett and Faustino before passing the ball to Frankie Hall who powered it past the keeper. Sadly her shot was lifted, meaning the goal was disallowed. However, York’s efforts were soon rewarded as intimate play between Pepper and Bartlett, who then reversed the ball in, allowed the home team the winning goal. After a brief discussion between the referees, the goal was confirmed.
York enjoyed another time out and after a few encouraging words from Faust they successfully kept their lead ’till the final whistle blew. There were a bitting few seconds when Beanie came out for the tackle then the next shot was raised by Lancaster into Bartlett’s torso as she defended goal, but the team defended well and the game finished 4-3 to York. Another two points in the bag.
Captain Rachael Faustino commented that it was “a fantastic performance; we all stepped it up and worked really hard. A great comeback from last year”