WA men come from behind to earn first point of national championships as captain backs them to push for semis

WA captain Darren Parkes is confident his side can push for a semifinal berth despite a slow start to their men’s campaign at the Hockey Australia Country Challenge in Albany. Parkes, one of five Lower Great Southern players in the WA men’s team, believes his side took big steps forward in its 2-2 draw with Victoria on Sunday afternoon. WA suffered a shock loss in their tournament opener to the Australian Defence Force on Saturday and then fought from two goals down to pinch a point in their second game. They produced a spirited 2-1 win over Queensland on Monday night after a late strike from Bunbury’s Brayden Dalton and Parkes said his side remain focused on reaching the semifinals on Friday. “We just need to come out and start games a bit harder,” he said. “We’ve chased our tails a bit too much in the first two games. “There was 100 per cent improvement from game one to game two, we clicked together and showed we can score when we are down. “It’s not the greatest start but we are pushing to be in the semis.” WA notched their first win after coming from behind to beat Queensland. Goalkeeper Jason Vuletich was forced to make two terrific saves from penalty corners but a blistering run and tomahawk finish from Queensland’s Noah Gauci put the WA side on the back foot early. WA’s Jarrod Booth missed two early opportunities early in the second term but bobbed up at the back post to put through his third attempt, levelling the scores. WA continued to press but couldn’t convert from two penalty corners late in the second quarter. Queensland had plenty of the play in the third quarter but WA captain Darren Parkes did well to repel the opposition’s attacking drive. After a see-sawing start to the fourth quarter, Dalton fired home a terrific long-range field goal in the 49th minute in front of the vocal home crowd. Queensland were awarded a penalty corner shortly after but Vuletich once again made a brilliant save to help his side hold on for a thrilling victory. Dalton was a big presence in the contest while Parkes held firm in the back half to help bolster WA’s chances of reaching a semifinal, sitting in fifth place but only two points adrift of the top team. WA were again on the back foot after early field goals from Noah Erdeljac and Evan Douglas put Victoria two goals up on Sunday. WA began to link some passes together and were rewarded with a penalty corner two minutes after Victoria’s second goal. Lower Great Southern star Brodie Sarre made no mistake to leave WA trailing by a goal at half-time. WA continued to press and Sarre helped them equalise in the 34th minute, converting a second penalty corner which helped his side draw the match. On Saturday night the ADF were 1-0 winners over WA. Neither side scored in the first three quarters before a tomahawk strike from Antony Doolan in the 49th minute handed the ADF victory. Two shots found the back of the net for WA but both were disallowed by the officials and Doolan netted his field goal early in the fourth to dent the home State’s momentum. WA goalkeeper Jason Vuletich has been superb in the first two games, with a host of top level saves, and has been well supported by Parkes, Sarre and the versatile Logan Burgemeister. WA face New South Wales at 12.30pm on Tuesday.