Winter Competition Heats Up Despite Cold Conditions

Round 5 of the Winter Hockey Competition may have kicked off in chilly, wet conditions, but the action on the field was anything but cold.

With two fiercely contested matches on display, spectators were treated to an afternoon of exciting hockey, showcasing the depth of talent across all four teams.

The opening game featured the Penguins and Vikings in a thrilling contest.

The Penguins looked sharp in their new team shirts and brought plenty of energy to the field.

Their midfield trio—Shaun Mortyne, Timothy Roberts, and Joshua Dunk—worked cohesively to drive the ball forward, while Matilda Woodward impressed with her positioning and game awareness.

Goalkeeper Chris Hosken had a standout performance, repeatedly shutting down the Vikings’ attacking opportunities with confident saves.

Despite the Penguins’ determination, it was the Vikings who took control of the match.

Brendan Sheppard and Paul Robertson were instrumental in transitioning the ball upfield, creating a wave of attacking plays.

Their efforts gave forwards Kristy White and Michael Adams multiple chances to find the back of the goal. ii

The Vikings opened the scoring in the first half through Andrew Pratt, who followed up with a second goal in the third quarter. After several close attempts, Michael Adams finally broke through in the final quarter, converting a well-executed short corner into a goal.

With strong defence limiting the Penguins’ chances, the Vikings walked away with a convincing 3–0 victory.

The second game of the day saw the undefeated DTS take on the Redbacks in another tightly fought encounter. DTS

entered the match short on players, putting them at an immediate disadvantage and giving the Redbacks an early edge.

Despite this, DTS refused to go down without a fight.

Their defence held firm, creating multiple turnovers in the midfield that frustrated the Redbacks’ forward momentum.

Greg Bannister was a standout in the DTS backline, putting on a tackling clinic, while Oscar Heffernan was rock-solid in goal, keeping Redbacks at bay with a number of key saves.

Fiona Douglas also gave a phenomenal effort, constantly pushing back against Redbacks’ advances and supporting her team on both ends of the field.

But the Redbacks, too, were resolute in defence. Emily O’Brien, Fred Dimmick, and Sarah Wills worked cohesively to intercept and break up DTS’ attacking plays, while Dodee Ryan showcased her skill and composure, weaving through the DTS defence and setting up attacking opportunities.

Luke Cosgrove proved to be the difference-maker, leading the charge downfield and scoring both goals for the Redbacks.

In the end, the Redbacks secured a wellearned 2–0 win, handing DTS their first loss of the season and setting the stage for an exciting second half of the competition.

IMAGE: Emily O’Brien and David Wark (Redbacks vs DTS).

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