Tigers knocked out of premiership race

Tigers’ title defence in the Lower Great Southern Hockey Association women’s A-grade competition is officially over after they went down to premiership fancies Manypeaks in the penultimate round of the season on Saturday afternoon.

Needing a win in the round 14 clash to force their way back into the top four, Tigers conceded two goals in the first half and were never able to recover.

Peaks, who had lost their past two matches, opened the scoring inside 10 minutes, and midway through the first half, had doubled that advantage when Meg Slattery and Maddison Scade combined.

Pouncing on a defensive blunder from Tigers, Slattery passed calmly to Scade as keeper Bonnie Crook came off her line and Peaks took that 2-0 lead into half-time.

Tigers had plenty of chances in the second half to hit back, but their task was made even harder with 14 minutes to play when defender Gemma Pyle stepped up to convert a penalty corner.

Trailing by three goals, Tigers played more daringly in the final 10 minutes and Peaks were reduced to 10 players twice in that period through green cards to Slattery and Jessica Scade.

Tigers had four penalty corners in succession which were thwarted away by Peaks, but with just under five minutes left in the match, youngster Cionne Fage scored a clever field goal to pinch one back for her side.

A sixth penalty corner of the half was unsuccessful soon afterwards for Tigers as their season ended with a 3-1 defeat despite the best efforts of Julia Keymer and Georgie Powis.

Tigers sit fifth on the ladder after the loss and have the bye in the final regular round of the season this weekend.

Renae Parsons, Pyle and Slattery were solid contributors for Peaks, who will finish as minor premiers.

The other women’s A-grade game, between Spencer Park and North Albany, was called off, with torrential rain making it too difficult to complete the match, which was 1-1 when it was abandoned during the second half.

Earlier in the men’s A-grade competition, Peaks also ended Tigers’ season after an entertaining affair that ended 3-2.

Tigers were in fourth place coming into the round, but two goals from Peaks star David Pyle guided them to an eighth win of the season.

The other men’s game was abandoned, also because of the weather, but the point was enough to lift Redbacks off the foot of the table and into fourth place to secure a finals berth.