SARAH Watterson showed why she is such a valued member of the Souths’ women’s Premier League Hockey line-up on Saturday as she led her side to a 4-3 victory over Parkes.
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Just two days after returning from a New South Wales Bushrangers development tour of Japan, Watterson scored all of Souths’ goals in the away match.
“We had one goal scorer and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out who it was,” Souths coach Damien Carter said.
“Sarah Watto was great … she only got back from Japan on Thursday. Just to have her and Tahls [Tahlia Cranston] back had a calming experience on the girls.
“To get the big V on the board against Parkes in Parkes was just great.”
Souths headed to Parkes keen to hit back after a 2-1 season opening loss against Confederates.
But Parkes, playing in front of a home crowd on a newly-opened turf, came out hard.
Twice inside the opening three minutes it took a smart save from Souths goalkeeper Kate Brown to deny Parkes the lead.
Souths was also denied an early chance – Parkes’ goalkeeper making a quality block from a penalty corner – but Watterson soon made her presence felt.
“The first one she just got around the fullback, dragged the other fullback then scored with a tomahawk shot,” Carter said.
“Her second was a free hit to us on the 23, then a square ball to her at the right hand post and she scored with tomahawk.”
While trailing 2-0, Parkes had still looked dangerous as their young, quick attack produced some slick one-two passes.
The hosts were rewarded with a field goal and after converting from a penalty corner play, things were locked at 2-all at half-time.
When play resumed Souths was quick to take the lead as Watterson broke clear from halfway, beat Parkes’ fullback and fired home.
But Parkes was not about to concede defeat.
Once more the home side got back on level terms and was unlucky not to go ahead with two chances rolling past the post after the defence had been beaten.
With 12 minutes to go it was Watterson who came up with the decisive play. She carried the ball some 35 metres into the circle and after working to the baseline on the right side, fired her attempt into the top left of the goal to make it 4-3.
As the pressure mounted, both sides had players yellow carded.
The hosts had four penalty corners in a row with eight minutes remaining, yet Souths’ defence stood firm.
Still, Carter was more than impressed by what he saw from a Parkes side which was missing four of its more experienced players.
“They just had so much speed, their inners and centre forward were just rotating and creating confusion. Before you knew it they were free and they were doing beautiful one-touch passes,” he said. “They just don’t give you time, we’d do a transfer and they’d be five yards away.”