The Perth Thundersticks men have notched their first win of the season in round three of Hockey One, with a disciplined defensive effort and timely attacking strikes sealing an upset victory away over the NSW Pride.
The Pride had a lot of the early attacking opportunities in the opening quarter. Thundersticks goalkeeper Hunter Banyard was forced to make a crucial save before NSW also earned the first penalty corner.
But it was Perth who struck first through Daykin Stanger, who finished off the move to secure the field goal, with the field conversion successfully added to take a valuable two-goal lead.
The Thundersticks continued to threaten in the second but the Pride found a breakthrough from a penalty corner and Blake Govers converted to reduce the deficit to 2-1.
However, Perth responded in the best possible fashion, restoring its buffer almost immediately through Brodee Foster, who finished off a swift attacking move.
The Thundersticks were unable to add the conversion after Ash Thomas deflected the attempt, Perth going into the main break with a 3-1 lead.
NSW threw everything at Perth in the second half, even withdrawing goalkeeper Thomas with three minutes remaining to add an extra field player, but Perth’s defensive unit remained composed, the win lifting them off the bottom of the table.
The Thundersticks women remain undefeated and on the top of the table but not before a scare from NSW Pride.
Perth weathered an early NSW Pride surge, with goalkeeper Summer Greenway producing an important save from a penalty corner, before Sophie Nation delivered a superb pass through two NSW defenders to find Courtney Schonell in space who made no mistake with the field goal before calmly converting her own effort to hand the Thundersticks a two-goal advantage.
But NSW responded strongly and found a way back into the contest through Abby Wilson, who converted a penalty corner drag flick to reduce the margin at the main break.
The Thundersticks earned a penalty corner opportunity in the third but Pride goalie Jocelyn Bartram denied Madi Ratcliffe’s initial effort. However, Perth was awarded a re-take and made the most of the second chance, with Ratcliffe firing home a drag flick to restore the two-goal advantage.
A late NSW penalty corner was denied, but the visitors also earned a re-take and capitalised through Kendelle Tait to reduce the margin to 3-2 going into the final quarter.
Both sides attacked throughout the final term, but Perth’s defence held firm to continue their winning run.
The Thundersticks finally return home this weekend after three games on the road to take on the new team Melbourne Cobras.