IT may have lost some experienced players for season 2017, but the young talents St Pat’s added to its men’s Premier League Hockey squad have already proved they will be capable replacements.
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On Saturday afternoon in Parkes playing against defending premiers Lithgow Panthers, the younger members of the Saints squad helped their side to a 2-1 victory.
Debutant Charlie Schofield scored the opening goal with a nice deflection while 16-year-old Tyler Willott shone in the midfield against his older, more experienced Panthers rivals.
Lachlan Howard also got his first taste of Premier League Hockey with some time in the halves, Pat’s coach Shane Conroy pleased with what he saw.
“The young guys all did really well, Tyler, he’s as fit as a fiddle, he ran all day and he got our players’ player,” he said.
“He was just too fit for them in the end, he was intercepting a lot of passes in front of them and really frustrated them.”
Schofield’s goal came after just five minutes and when Jaden Ekert found the mark soon after, the Saints enjoyed a 2-0 lead.
Panthers hit back 20 out from the break from a penalty corner play after Conroy was yellow carded for a diving tackle.
That made it 2-1 and that was how it stayed.
“We dominated the second half and probably should’ve finished it off, we had plenty of opportunities,” Conroy said.
“They had a few guys with cards and we didn’t capitalise as well as we should’ve, but it will come.”