The Rovers Senior Women’s team showed up to Lindsay Hasset Oval on a lovely sunny, calm morning. Comments were made along the lines of “This is a major contrast to when we played Ajax earlier in the year at the Boss”, think sideways rain…Sadly at the end of the day the result turned out to be eerily similar, Rovers just couldn’t get the one more goal needed to win.
1st quarter: A depleted Rovers team faced a depleted Ajax team and we fancied our chances. In an all too familiar tale, the opposition quickly scored the first goal of the match and we seemed to be chasing the game from then on. Ajax were first to the ball early on and took a lead into quarter time. One first quarter goal from Tarryn Hurst put Rovers on the board. Chloe Mirams was marking most of Ajax’s forward thrusts so the lead was kept to a manageable seven points.
2nd quarter: The Rovers girls lifted in the second quarter. Taylan was putting her head in places where angels fear to tread and with good service from Bianca Lenarcic and Tash Harrison, our mids Amy Cullen, Nicki Clarke and Chloe McClaren kept pumping the ball forward. Coach Paul sent Karla Hewitt to Ajax’s leading player and Carla managed to lessen her impact. Goals to Tarryn Hurst and Taylan Merrick gave Rovers a slender lead at half time.
3rd quarter: Even though the girls kept trying a few injuries slowed our progress and we didn’t trouble the scorers in the third quarter.
Last quarter: Positivity and hard work was the theme of the three quarter time huddle and spurred on by Bianca’s war cry at the first bounce, the girls threw themselves into the last quarter. An equally determined Ajax managed to get an early goal. Zara Phillips produced a long goal and we were back within a kick. Ajax tried to clog the game up whilst Rovers tried to clear the congestion. When the ball headed into open territory in the Ajax forward line, Grace McArthur and Megan Temple proved impenetrable and sent the ball back our way. Despite the urging from our bench and desperate attempts by the players we just couldn’t get the ball through the goals and when the final siren sounded Ajax prevailed by 5 points.
The ranks of the Rovers has thinned due to retirements, work commitments and long term injuries but it was great to see other players stepping up. Carla Hewitt had one of her best games, tagging the opposition’s best and getting some ball herself. Sheedy Ferrari-Brown stepped into the ruck when Tash got injured and played one of her best games for the club. Steph Gall got more game time and pulled in a big mark as well as getting some ground balls, arguably Steph’s best game for the club. Jamie Roberts(first season player) spent time in the midfield and used her pace well to pick up many possessions and limit the opposition. Again, best game for the club. It is great to see the belief coming out in these girls.
Sadly our group of casual clothed players on the sideline is swelling. Injured co-Captain , Lucy Timmons took on the role of Magnet Man(Magnet Mamm). Jess Yates and Fran Della-Bosca led the cheersquad from the bench. We hope to see you girls back on the field soon.
Another close game, are we allowed to say admirable loss?? The girls were disappointed but kept their heads high and the conversation post match quickly turned to “what are you wearing to the Gala tonight?”. Flat shoes to go with the leg injuries???
For me, having returned from a stint at work, it was great to see the enthusiasm of the team at training during the week and throughout the game on Saturday. Great effort Ladies!!
Written by Brett Cleary (Parent, Runner, sometime Magnet man)
AJAX 2.1 3.1 4.3 5.3 33
ROVERS 1.0 3.2 3.2 4.4 28
Goals: Tarryn Hurst 2, Zara Phillips, Taylan Merrick
Best: Taylan Merrick, Chloe Mirriams, Chloe McLaren, Tarryn Hurst, Nicki Clarke
