Strikers stumble at last hurdle

A harsh call may have cost the South West Strikers the Promotion One premiership in Perth at the weekend.

It was near the end of their grand final against Whitfords with the Strikers trailing 1-0 and, as they had done all match, dominating the exchanges to win a penalty corner.

However, the umpire deemed the Strikers took too long over deliberations and reversed the decision, foiling the South West side’s plans to equalise.

The winning goal was posted by Strikers nemesis and import Poel Kuyvenbourg, repeating the winner she put away the last time Whitfords managed a 1-0 victory in the promotion-relegation series.

It was a sad day for the Strikers who went one step further than last season’s preliminary final.

Resolute Whitfords defence throughout the first half kept the Strikers at bay in a tight period which yielded precious few penalty corners, but those that were won were saved by the import studded Whitfords which cleared what looked a certain goal off the line during the Strikers marauding first half spearheaded by stand-out Meg Snelling.

Supporters sat back expecting Strikers fireworks after their dominant first half.

But the second period showed more metal from the minor premiers who finally broke through the tight defences of Anita Scott, Anna Roberts and Snelling after a storming attack up the right flank to win a rare penalty corner which Kuyvenbourg converted.

There was a good representation of South West players at the grand finals, with former Strikers star Shayni Buswell celebrating her 200th game and umpteenth premiership for UWA together with Holly White at the expense of leading Toyota League scorer Chantelle Ciallella’s Curtin Trinity Pirates.

The men’s final also featured a former South West junior, Daniel Sampey playing in the YMCA Coastals grand final side.

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