For the second time in three weeks, Mooroopna’s A-men have done the unthinkable — this time breaking a seven-year drought against Echuca-Moama in a Goulburn Valley Hockey Association game which had it all.
Ryan Davey slotted first for the Cats, slapping home a short corner move which caught the River Rats napping.
Then it was Kale Kennedy’s turn, pouncing on a loose ball in the danger area and turning it in for 2-0.
Though Echuca-Moama managed to draw one back midway through the last quarter, it was too little, too late as far as the match was concerned.
“We were pretty happy with the result, but I reckon we could have put a few more in the goal,” Mooroopna coach Kieron Vaivars said.
“No-one realised until I had told them after the game, but it was the first time we had beaten Echuca in seven years.”
Vaivars praised the vocal prowess of Shaun Collins in defence, also singling out Michael Van Dorsser as another who starred during the win.
Mooroopna also collected points in A-women, with Echuca-Moama forfeiting on the day.
On Friday night, Strikers shot to the competition’s summit after dismantling SYC 10-1 in A-men’s other fixture.
Xavier McBain was a force for the victors, leaving with a bag of five.
Strikers’ success extended to the B-men, with the host walking away with an all-important 3-1 result over the River Rats on Saturday.
Later that evening, Ash Bettridge’s effort was all that separated Mooroopna and SYC with the Cats collecting a 1-0 win to burst into first on the table.
Though few and far between in the men’s grades, reward was reached for Echuca-Moama by its B-women outfit.
Courtney Thompson was in fine touch for the River Rats, belting four on her own in an 8-0 demolition job of Benalla.
In the round’s other games, Mooroopna saw off Euroa 4-2, while Strikers had little trouble outmuscling SYC 3-0.
Examining the youth grades, the combines were on show throughout the under-17 fixtures.
SYC-Strikers and Mooroopna-Benalla picked up wins, beating Echuca-Moama and GVGS respectively.
Earlier, SYC’s under-14s were unstoppable during a 14-0 thrashing of the River Rats, and Mooroopna was able to add to GVGS’ woes in the under-14 grade also by notching a 3-1 victory.
Finally, Benalla prevailed over Strikers in a tight under-12s affair, while GVGS and SYC split the points in the other half-field encounter.
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