Hale stake their claim for top spot in strong women's outing

This weekend’s Premier League action has seen two powerhouse clubs in Westside Wolves and Hale compete in a thrilling double-header of hockey action, with both fixtures crucial to determining who looks likely to challenge towards season’s end.

In the women’s match, Hale have shown they are a force to be reckoned with, securing a 2-0 victory over a strong Westside Wolves side and sit second place on the women’s standings and on the heels of North Coast Raiders who sit in first.

Hale’s Ciara Faichney and Edwina Bone scored in the seventh and 19^th minutes respectively, with Wolves unable to find a reply for the rest of the match.

The men’s Hale and Westside Wolves sides competed in a goal-for-goal draw with the match ending with a 4-4 result.

The Premier League’s top goal scorer in Hale’s Liam Flynn scored two for the match but it wasn’t enough to hold off a strong reply from Westside Wolves who continue to impress after an 8-1 drubbing of Reds last round.

The draw now sees Victoria Park take second place on the standings after their victory against Curtin, with Hale now in third after sitting in second for the majority of the season thus far.

Suburban Lions recorded their first win of the season in the women’s competition, defeating Reds 2-1 in a closely fought contest, with Reds still in search of their first win of the season.

Lions scored the first two of the match with Nicole Enslin and Georgina Dowd finding goal in the third and 26^th minutes respectively, with a late Sophie Fidoe goal for Reds in the 50^th minute just falling short of Reds scoring their first points for the year.

The men’s and women’s Curtin University and Victoria Park sides competed in a double-header at Perth Hockey Stadium at Curtin University, with Victoria Park claiming both wins in a strong outing for the club.

The women’s match ended in a 3-2 score in Victoria Park’s favour, with star striker Harriet Collins scoring two for Vic Park to take her tally to five goals for the season, which sees her top the goal scoring standings this year.

The men’s Victoria Park side defeated Curtin University 4-1 – Curtin remain at the bottom of the men’s standings and are yet to have points on the board in this year’s competition.

Fremantle Cockburn Hockey Club have continued their much-improved start to the 2022 season, securing a 2-2 draw against a strong UWA outfit who looked to be likely challengers towards the top end.

After finishing ninth in 2021, Fremantle Cockburn now sit in seventh and have staked their claim as a potential challenger come finals time if they continue to get points on the board.

The North Coast Raiders claimed back the top spot on the women’s standings after beating Reds 4-1 in a strong outing for the side.

Raiders scored the first of the match in the second quarter through Annie Gibbs in the 23^rd minute but Reds replied quickly with a goal of their own in the 25^th minute – Zoe Hopkinson the scorer from a penalty corner.

Raiders proceeded to pile on the attacking pressure, scoring the next three with jade Vanderzwan, Jacqui Day and Siena Tonkin all hitting the score board for the ladder-leaders.

YMCC have continued their hot form in the men’s competition, taking down an improving Old Guildfordians Mundaring side 4-2.

Kookaburras’ Jacob Anderson was the difference for YMCC, scoring all of his sides four goals in a dominant outing.

Reds claimed three points on the board in the men’s competition, with a 5-2 win over Whitford seeing the side regain their 2021 Grand Final berth form.

In a strong outing for the side, five individual goal scorers for Reds showcased the sides attacking strength, with Chaz Davies, Tarrant Haami-Jones, Zach Rakkas, Brodee Foster and Aran Zalewski all finding goal.

Kookaburras’ Jeremy Hayward and Nathan Ephraums were the scorers for Whitford.

Melville remain in the hunt for a win in the women’s competition, with WASPs securing a 2-1 victory in a tight contest.

Kyra White opened the scoring in the 25^th minute for WASPs but Melville’s Casey Donaldson found the reply for her side in the 47^th minute.

Camryn Tidy found the goal for WASPs with a quick reply minutes later to secure the victory for her side.

FULL SCORES

Women’s Suburban Lions 2 defeat Reds 1

Goals:

Lions – Nicole Enslin (3’), Georgina Dowd (26’)

Reds – Sophie Fidoe (50’)

Women’s Curtin University 2 defeated by Victoria Park 3

Goals:

Curtin – Kirstie Denning (49’), Evie Dalton (54’)

Victoria Park – Harriet Collins (10’) (18’), Maddie Fenwick (19’)

Men’s Curtin University 1 defeated by Victoria Park 4

Goals:

Curtin – Tony Ziegelaar (43’)

Victoria Park – William Battistessa (17’) (31’), Lawson Patten-Williams (21’), Kye Stirrat (49’)

Men’s Fremantle Cockburn 2 draw UWA 2

Goals:

Fremantle Cockburn – Harrison Keymer (28’), Jack Welch (50’)

UWA – Lachlan Busiko (45’), Flynn Ogilvie (49’)

Women’s Hale 2 defeat Westside Wolves 0

Goals:

Hale – Ciara Faichney (7’), Edwina Bone (19’)

Men’s Hale 4 draw Westside Wolves 4

Goals:

Hale – Liam Flynn (6’) (28’), Matthew Lewis (33’), Hayden Beltz (43’)

Wolves – Simon Benetti (17’) (35’), Alistair Murray (29’), Tom Harvie (43’)

Women’s Reds 1 defeated by North Coast Raiders 4

Goals:

Reds – Zoe Hopkinson (25’)

Raiders – Annie Gibbs (23’), Jade Vanderzwan (38’), Jacqui Day (51’), Siena Tonkin (56’)

Men’s YMCC 4 defeat Old Guildfordians Mundaring 2

Goals:

YMCC – Jacob Anderson (5’) (18’) (45’) (60’)

OGMHC – Johnathon Bretherton (7’) (38’)

Men’s Reds 5 defeat Whitford 2

Goals;

Reds – Chaz Davies (14’), Tarrant Haami-Jones (26’), Zach Rakkas (45+’), Brodee foster (54’), Aran Zalewski (59’)

Whitford – Jeremy Hayward (37’), Nathan Ephraums (47’)

Women’s WASPs 2 defeat Melville 1

Goals:

WASPs – Kyra White (25’), Camryn Tidy (51’)

Melville – Casey Donaldson (47’)