Hockey: Stewart’s on fire as Budgies and Swallows share a 10-goal thriller

Women’s B League

Budgies 5-5 Swallows

The Budgies were playing with nine players and without a goalkeeper, while Swallows had just enough with a squad of 11.

Budgies’ Keishae Robinson fired home her shot from the top of the circle in the third minute before Swallows’ Joanna Heaney levelled four minutes later.

Taking advantage of Budgies not having a goalkeeper nor a ‘kicking back’, Swallows’ Liz Stewart dribbled the ball through the midfield using her skill and speed, driving the ball into the circle and putting away their second field goal.

Stewart soon added her second and completed her hat-trick minutes later.

A minute before the break, Budgies were awarded their second penalty corner. Tse Minors found Robinson, who fired home from the top of the circle.

It was 4-2 to Swallows at the break and in the second half, Budgies’ Francesca Cacace struck first to bring it back to 4-3.

However, the indefatigable Stewart bagged her fourth to extend the lead to two goals once again.

It looked like being enough but back stormed Budgies and goals from Vanessa Paulos and Jaselle Smith levelled things up at 5-5. 

Wildcats 2-3 Bluebirds

A very intense game between two teams eager to get on the scoreboard.

Bluebirds’ Andrea Cann  scored first on a breakaway and, in a one-on-one with the Wildcats’ keeper, executed a fine field goal into the net to put her team 1-0 up at the break.

Three minutes into the second half saw the ball played out of the left side by Bluebirds’ defender Kaywell Outerbridge to team-mate Deb Sagus.

She, in turn, found Cann on the run and her shot deflected off a Wildcats defender’s stick and went high over the keeper’s head and inside the top right post.

Wildcats’ Alecia Holder pulled one back in the 48th minute and Bluebirds were out under severe pressure in a 10-minute spell, only for keeper Vicki Johnston to stand firm.

A penalty corner was then awarded to Bluebirds after a foul in the circle and Kris Soares injected the ball to Jo-Ann Smith, who took a shot from the top of the circle. 

The ball rebounded off the keeper’s  pads and was followed up by Kris Soares to put the Bluebirds 3-1 up.

Bluebirds’ Jo-Smith then missed a great chance to put the game to bed when she fell over by the penalty spot to the hilarity of all who were present.

Wildcats made the finish an interesting one when Holder released a pass into the ‘D’ and Michele Ming got hold of it by the penalty spot to find an unmarked Maria Pichery, who smacked the ball in for the second field goal. However, Bluebirds held out to come away winners.

Ravens 2-0 Canaries

Raven’s first field goal came early thanks to an assist by Megan Spurling and a goal from Mollie O’Donnell, who converted into the right corner after just three minutes.  

Their second field goal came when Spurling
dribbled the ball down the right side to find Aleisha Hollis, who slapped the ball home.

Canaries had their opportunities to score but were unlucky not to put the ball away.

Longtails 0-3 Bluebirds

A young and fast Longtails team put Bluebirds through their paces.

But Bluebirds proved too strong and opened the scoring after good work from a penalty corner by  ‘speedy legs’ Lauren Patterson and Liz Twite.

The ball travelled through a defender and rebounded in off the Longtails’ keepers’ pads.

Bluebirds went two up when Nikki Murray-Mason took a pass from Kourtney Fassler from just outside the ‘D’. She dribbled inside and let fly.

Patterson’s one-touch sweep made it three and cued lots of congratulatory high fives.

This was, however, a greatly-improved Longtails team that showed good strategic play from their playmaker Maya Palacio.