Strikers take lessons from first round loss

STAFFORD’S Strikers are better prepared entering the second round of the Iron Jack Challenge.

Garth Miller, Strikers. GCC Pink Bats vs Stafford Srikers, Iron Jack Challenge hockey. Friday, 21st Feb, 2020.

HOCKEY: They may have found themselves on the wrong end of a lopsided scoreline to begin the Iron Jack Challenge, however Stafford's Strikers believe they can turn things around instantly.

The Strikers were soundly beaten to the tune of 8-0 by the GCC Pink Batts in last week's season opener.

However that hasn't dampened the enthusiasm of coach Scott Downs, who said the side has identified where it all went wrong last week.

"We need to be stronger in the midfield," Downs said.

"We need to be quicker to the ball as often as we possibly can and take our chances.

"We were able to get the ball into the circle last week, but we couldn't capitalise, and to their credit they got it over us and showed us how to score goals.

"With the extra conversion attempts, it very quickly blew out. It didn't feel like an 8-0 game but it looks worse on paper."

Downs said that while the conversion attempts after field goals hurt the scoreline, his side has the ability to take advantage of that in future weeks.

"There's a lot of things we need to improve," he said.

"Conceding goals always hurts, especially when they convert. It we managed to score one or two then it quickly becomes an 8-4 games.

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"In saying that the opportunities were there, we just didn't take them.

"Our turn will come. We've got good players and good people around the club."

With an impressive experienced core at the side, Downs said he hopes they can take control, with the younger players following the lead.

"Craig Richards, Drew Knecht, Damien Morey and Garth Miller are four of our older guys that we really need to step up," Downs said.

"At the end of the day they can't do it on their own though. We need the younger guys to follow that lead.

"Nick Bidgood played really well last week and I'm expecting him to play well again. He was really solid in the midfield and we need other guys to be solid around him."

They won't have it all their own way tonight, coming up against a Hot Shots side fresh off a 4-2 defeat of the SQPS Scorers.

The evening's first fixture will again see the Pink Batts come in as hot favourites to take down last year's premiership winning Scorers side.

FIXTURES: SQPS Scorers vs GCC Pink Batts at 6.30pm; HSR Hot Shots vs Stafford's Strikers at 8.15pm. All games played at Clyde Park tonight

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