Perth Thundersticks men find form with 9-2 thrashing of Brisbane

The Perth Thundersticks men have kept their Hockey One finals hopes alive with a 9-2 thrashing of the Brisbane Blaze at Perth Hockey Stadium, while the women booked their place in the finals despite a scare from the lowly Blaze, winning 1-0.

The men were forced to overturn an early deficit in round five action on Saturday after Brisbane took the lead in the first quarter from a penalty stroke, soon settling and creating opportunities of their own through penalty corners.

But the breakthrough didn’t come until the second, with Ian Grobbelaar denied by Mitch Nicholson from a penalty corner before the Thundersticks earned a penalty stroke, which Tom Harvie calmly converted.

The Thundersticks then hit the front through Harry Golding, who found a narrow gap to finish clinically and take a 2-1 lead into half-time.

Perth took control of the contest in a high-scoring third quarter, with Brodee Foster finding the back of the net to extend the home side’s advantage. Brisbane responded through Tom Wycherley after Hunter Banyard’s initial save from a penalty corner before Harvie again converted a penalty stroke and Foster adding another goal to restore the buffer.

The Thundersticks led 6-2 heading into the final break, with Daykin Stanger adding to the scoring through a field goal before later completing his hat-trick with clinical finish after clinical finish.

Perth are outside the top four on goal difference with just two rounds remaining against the winless Adelaide as well as Canberra.

The Thundersticks women produced a disciplined performance to edge Brisbane 1-0, preserving their unbeaten record and securing a place in the finals on the Gold Coast thanks to a decisive fourth-quarter strike from Jolie Sertorio.

The defences of both teams stood tall during the first three quarters, with the breakthrough finally coming in a gripping last quarter as the Thundersticks capitalised on a penalty corner, as Sertorio found the back of the net.

The win ensured Perth remained undefeated at the top of the table.