ST PAT’S have locked up the women’s Premier League Hockey minor premiership, but now the blue and whites want to make sure they carry momentum into the finals.
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And to do that, it will require beating the talented Orange CYMS outfit in Orange.
The Saints have not dropped a game since round two, a streak of 11 rounds without a loss seeing them heading into Saturday’s final home and away match with an eight competition point advantage.
Still, there is one team in the competition the Saints are yet to beat and that is the very side they will meet on Saturday – third placed CYMS.
READ MORE: St Pat’s keep CYMS at bay
Pat’s played out out a nil-all draw with CYMS in June, a result in which the blue and whites demonstrated why they have one of the best defensive units in the league.
Pat’s were missing talismanic attacker Kristy Ekert for that drawn fixture, but she will be present on Saturday.
St Pat’s will take on CYMS from 1.55pm on Saturday in Orange.
Souths wants to make sure of a home turf semi-final
SOUTHS has all but wrapped up the men’s Premier League Hockey minor premiership, but to make sure of it the two blues are intent on beating Orange Wanderers this Saturday.
Souths head into the match at Bob Roach Field sitting on top of the ladder, a superior for and against record giving it the edge over a Lithgow Panthers outfit which has amassed the same amount of competition points.
READ MORE: Souths plays catch-up to force a draw
But as Panthers has the bye this Saturday it can not improve its position, meaning Souths is in the box seat to claim hosting rights for the major semi-final.
Souths has already beaten Wanderers twice this season – 8-1 then 6-3 – and is focused on repeating the dose on its home turf.
Souths’ bid to sink the Wanderers will begin at 12.20pm at Bob Roach Field.
Two blue can deal the Panthers a blow
SOUTHS might be out of the running for a place in the women’s Premier League Hockey finals, but the two blues players can still have an influence on the semi-finals.
This Saturday as Souths lines up for its final game of the season, it will host the currently second-placed Lithgow Panthers at Bob Roach Field.
Panthers sit just two points clear of Orange CYMS and Bathurst City, so needs a win to ensure they remain in that major semi-final position.
READ MORE: Souths’ push for semis comes up short
Though that is strong motivation, there is no doubt Souths will want to finish 2018 on a high note. In the past fortnight the two blues have drawn with both CYMS and City to show that it has the talent to match the premiership contenders.
“I think it was one of the more entertaining games I’ve seen in the women’s Premier League this year for sure, it was fairly up tempo,” stand-in coach Chris Stafford after the 1-all result against City.
If Souths is able to better capitalise on its chances – having drawn nine penalty corners against City last Saturday – a win over Panthers is a possibility.
Souths take on Lithgow Panthers from 1.50pm at Bob Roach Field.
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