Slip-ups prove costly for Bunbury

The cliche “one bad apple can spoil the whole barrel” was never more apt than when applied to the Bunbury women’s Country Week hockey quest at the weekend.

Bunbury lost just one match for the event, but it came in the semifinal after the team had finished on top of its pool.

The lapse against Lower Great Southern cost Bunbury the title, and the team was forced to ensure the galling sight of watching archrival Busselton, which Bunbury defeated in the preliminary rounds, crowned WA Country champions in a penalty shootout.

One shining light was Candyce Peacock being named Fairest and Best for the tournament.

The tournament started with a close clash against Geraldton, which Bunbury won through a penalty stroke won by Ash Ferguson and converted by sharpshooter Tahnee Buchanan.

A Peacock hat-trick put paid to Roe Districts 5-0 with Ash Docking and Jenna Gmeiner also on target before complacency crept in, resulting in the 3-0 loss to LGS.

Bunbury drew 1-1 with Upper Great Southern in the third place playoff with Ellie McCaughan on target, before coming out on top in the penalty shootout.

The Bunbury Masters team won its Division One title.