Round Two Of Winter Hockey Brings High Drama And Early Upsets

IMAGE: Luke Cosgrove and David Wark (DTS vs Redbacks).

Round two of the Winter Hockey Competition delivered plenty of excitement, with tightly contested matches and early-season upsets shaking up the leaderboard.

The first game of the week saw the Vikings and Penguins battle it out in a fastpaced encounter. Supporters set up along the sideline and were not disappointed.

The Vikings dominated possession, showcased a strong defensive structure, and moved the ball well as a team.

Kristy White opened the scoring early in the first quarter with a well-executed goal.

The Penguins responded with solid passages of play, demonstrating skillful ball movement through Monique Woodward, Jennifer McKay, Cooper Saines, and Lucy Dunk.

However, they were often met by a wall of Viking defence, with Kerri Palmer and Thomas Pickering forcing numerous turnovers and denying scoring chances.

Despite the Vikings pressing forward, the Penguins’ defence held strong, repeatedly shutting down short corner attempts.

Chris Hosken was instrumental in goal, supported by the determined efforts of Donna Burns, Timothy Roberts, and Hayley Saines. ii

However, the Penguins were unable to find an equaliser, and the match ended in a 1–0 victory for the Vikings—marking their first win of the season.

The second match of the day featured DTS against the Redbacks and was another tightly contested affair. Both teams produced strong defensive efforts.

For DTS, James Cronin, Andrew Austen, and Greg Bannister were tough to get

past, repeatedly disrupting the Redbacks’ attacks.

Meanwhile, David Wark and Michael Skillen proved crucial for DTS, helping to drive the ball forward.

DTS executed sharp trapping and quick transitions, creating several goal-scoring opportunities. Wark capitalised on two of these, netting both goals for DTS with precision. The Redbacks remained determined.

Goalkeeper Tracey Clark put in a standout performance, blocking numerous attempts and keeping her team in the game.

Sarah Wills, Edwina Murray, and Emily O’Brien worked tirelessly to repel DTS’s advances, while Zac Williams and Tom Wills linked up well in the midfield, setting up promising plays.

Although the Redbacks dominated possession in the second half, they struggled to convert their chances.

Zac Williams managed to get them on the board in the first half with a well-timed strike that caught the DTS goalie off guard, but it wasn’t enough.

DTS held on to win 2–1, earning their second consecutive victory and securing top spot on the leaderboard.

IMAGE: Janice Dunk and Brendan Sheppard (Vikings vs Penguins).