Men’s Premier League Hockey
Parkes United came from behind to register a 4-all draw with Dubbo on
Saturday in Parkes.
Down 3-1 at halftime and 4-2 with 12 minutes to go, the local players really pulled together to pull off a draw.
Parkes United co-coach Kieren Deland was fairly happy with the draw against Dubbo. He told the Champion Post yesterday his side “did well to fight back”.
“Our young gun Jack Elliott really stepped up, along with Ben Hawken as well,” Deland said.
“We didn’t start very well and we were a bit slow with the ball. But we picked up the intensity towards the end.”
Deland said Dubbo’s players had a fairly unique technique of playing very directly and long with a high striker.
“We learnt a lot about their team. We need to start our games 100 per cent in the future and put in a bit more intensity,” he said.
“I’m fairly happy with the way the team is coming together. We had 16 or 17 the other day at training, and we’ve got a good mix of younger and older players.”
The next challenge for fourth-placed Parkes United is on Saturday in Bathurst when the boys take on sixth-placed Bathurst Souths.
Parkes United has beaten Souths in Parkes in the past, but Deland isn’t counting his chickens just yet.
“We’re going to have to be really on our game to beat them. They’ve been in the finals before,” Deland said.
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In other hockey news, the over 40s Parkes side has won the A Division in the state championships against Sydney.
The game finished at 1-all, but Parkes won the match with penalty shots.
Congratulations!