ON Wednesday, 26 August, our boys’ school hockey team set off for an eagerly awaited match against Sawtell Public School at the Port Macquarie Hockey Centre.
Although the weather had looked uncertain, by the time we arrived the clouds had cleared and the sun was shining.
The team warmed up and quickly got into game mode.
Fletcher won the toss and chose to start with the ball.
In the first 10 minutes, Gloucester maintained strong possession and executed impressive plays, skilfully
passing the ball, spreading wide, and showcasing excellent stick skills.
Fletcher made a breakaway, weaving past midfield players and aiming to pass to Archie or Roy. Archie made a well-timed lead, trapping the ball and running the arc, which earned us a penalty corner.
Unfortunately, the shot hit the post.
We earned a few more penalty corners but narrowly missed the goal each time by millimetres.
The boys have been diligently training to develop various penalty corner variations, keeping our opponents guessing and thrilling spectators.
At half-time, we refuelled with a quick sugar boost as the temperature rose and refined our game plan.
Returning to the field eager to score, possession in the second half was evenly contested. In the final 12
minutes, the boys earned another penalty corner. Archie injected,
Fletcher trapped and took the shot, scoring a brilliant goal to give Gloucester the lead.
The team continued to press for another goal, with several near misses.
As the clock wound down, Sawtell pushed hard in our defensive circle. With just under a minute remaining, they were awarded a penalty corner, but our boys reacted quickly.
After fantastic save from Sebastian, our defenders pressed hard and managed to clear the ball to secure a 1-0 victory.
A huge thank you to all the parents, carers and siblings who travelled to support the team and cheer them on,
as well as bringing them to extra training sessions, which is greatly appreciated.
We now advance to the PSSA State Semifinals at the Newcastle International Hockey Centre on Wednesday, 23 September, placing us among the top four teams in the state.
Congratulations to our team for their outstanding teamwork, sportsmanship and perseverance. It was
heartwarming to watch each of you play, showcasing the tips and skills learned during training sessions.
You all have made our school and town very proud!
Let’s show them what we’ve got at the semis. Go Gloucester!
By Hayden WHITE
You can help your local paper.
Make a small once-off, or (if you can) a regular donation.
We are an independent family owned business and our newspapers are free to collect and our news stories are free online.
Help support us into the future.
