Round 6 vs Doncaster
By Alex Lugg
Lost 1-3
With a finals berth on the line and coming off a poor loss to the bottom-placed side last week, PD looked as though they had a lot to prove on the weekend. The weather was bright and sunny, and the birds were singing in the trees at the Doncaster ground. The team watched M2 battle it out with their Doncaster equivalents before losing the match late in the game. Eventually PD got around to a warm-up of sorts. Well, that is to say, about four of them did. The others were putting on shin guards.
Then Doncaster started the game, which was most unsporting, as PD were still looking for their mouthguards, or putting on shoes. Needless to say, PD gave up an early couple of goals before clawing one back late in the first half. It was a half filled with jocular bonhomie as players engaged in battles of wits across the ground, or from the ground, as was the case with one undersized and underfoot Doncaster junior player. References to scholastic endeavour, The Simpsons, and a misspelt Viking king of Denmark and England (r.1018-1035 and 1016-1035 respectively) abounded. Despite dominating a second half sadly lacking in such virulent wordplay, PD were unable to convert up front and went down 3-1.
Round 5 vs MUHC
Lost. End of story.
Round 4 vs St Kilda/Powerhouse
by Alex Lugg
St Kilda 1 d Hawthorn 0
On an idyllic Sunday afternoon in May, the players of PD found themselves working through a comprehensive team talk in the sunshine at Albert Park. The seriousness of this talk was somewhat undermined by the presence of one Ash Smith, who chose to use this interval between the team warm-up and stick-and-ball work to relieve himself on a nearby fence. A less than vigorous warm up led to a slightly slow start, forcing the side to absorb a great deal of pressure in the back half of the ground for the first half of play. Although all players showed good endeavour in defending the goal, some poor stick skills and decision making (leading to a yellow card for Alexander Lugg), ensured that goalkeeper Danny Griffen was given plenty of opportunity to press his case for a return to the PA side. A slight repositioning of players midway through the half saw more shots on goal for Hawthorn, but Powerhouse were very much the winners of the half overall.
The second half saw a complete change in attitude. Hawthorn was stronger on the ball, lead faster and smarter, and created numerous opportunities to score. However, despite some good running and ball use in the midfield by Davis McCarthy, Pat Hutton, and Chris Kings, highly competent goalkeeping and overzealous whistleblowing denied Hawthorns scoring chances. At nil-nil and with time running down, tempers began to fray on the field, leading to a minor altercation between Lugg and some fat-headed defenders who refused to get out of his way when he wished to play on. Eventually the tie was broken as Powerhouse eventually overcame the tenacious defence of Tim Darby, Will Alexander, Ash Smith and Jackson Sharpe, and learnt the lessons of Griffen’s goalkeeping master class to score.
Round 3 vs TEM
By Davis McCarthy
Hawthorn 4 def TEM 0
Hawthorn faced bitter local rivals TEM hungry for their first win of the season. After the disappointing loss to Waverley in Round 2, the line-up was reshuffled in an attempt to inject some more stability and energy into the midfield. The benefits of the changes were immediately obvious. Hawthorn lost the toss, but from that point on dominated TEM. The three strikers were mobile and cutting through the TEM defensive lines, well supported by the run and delivery of the midfield. TEM had difficulty taking the ball out of their defensive half. On the rare occasions that they did, they found a Hawthorn defence well organised from the back. The addition of Danny Griffin in goals added a lot of skill between the posts, but even more important was his calling and organisation of the defence. Hawthorn attacked the circle with the first chances falling to Davis McCarthy, breaking into the circle. Unfortunately his shots went straight at the goalkeeper.
The decisive breakthrough came midway through the first half, when Harry Borthwick drilled a pass in from the right, outside the circle, and picked out young Jack Jessup on the near post who had ducked in ahead of his marker. Jack jammed down on the incoming pass and directed the ball off the far post and into the goals. Hawthorn continued its dominance with circle penetrations and several short corners, but could not convert the chances they created, leaving the score 1-0 at half-time.
The Hawthorn players recognised that they had left themselves vulnerable, holding such a slender lead despite dominating the game to such an extent. They duly responded to Charlie Tulloch’s words of wisdom with the first attack of the second half. The ball came to Davis McCarthy on the attacking 25, who threaded a ball through to Wayne Buxey streaming into the circle. The keeper kept out Wayne’s first attempt on goal, but could not repel the follow-up tomahawk as it looped into the net. The game was now in Hawthorn’s grasp.
Their grip on the game was further strengthened just minutes later, when another quick attack resulted in a third goal [NB: not sure about the goalscorer there!]. From this point some of the sting went out of the game. Hawthorn lowered its intensity somewhat, shifted the positions of players and TEM began to create some more attacking play. Nevertheless, the defence held firm. A fourth goal well and truly sealed the match for Hawthorn. From a TEM short corner, the defence cleared the ball and Hawthorn struck on the counter. Almost before TEM could react, the ball was at their keeper’s pads and Pat Hutton, who had run the length of the field after defending TEM’s short corner, slotted the ball home. It was a worthy reward for Pat whose running, hassling and delivery at CH had played a big role in Hawthorn’s victory.
A clean sheet, four goals and the first win for the season against the club we love to beat made for a very enjoyable Saturday afternoon!
Round 1 vs Melb High
The first round of the PD season saw the two teams relegated from PC last year face off against each other. Hawthorn had a talented team on the park, a mixture of players with PA experience and some younger players coming up from juniors and school hockey. As hoped, the Hawthorn team controlled the game from the start. MHSOB had only limited opportunities in their attacking 25, while at the other end, Hawthorn created many chances. The linking up on the left hand side for high-speed attacks was particularly notable, resulting in several clear shots on goal and penalty corners. Unfortunately, the shots were saved by the MHSOB goalkeeper and the score was 0-0 at half time.
The second half was an even more one-sided affair, with Hawthorn launching wave after wave of attacks on the MHSOB circle. The Hawthorn defence controlled the game exceptionally well, but the cutting edge was lacking up forward. The decisive goal eluded Hawthorn, with many chances going begging and the final shot at goal from a penalty corner inside the last minute sliding agonisingly wide.
A promising performance first up, but poor finishing meant the points were shared.